Protecting Fiona Phillips*
by Sweetwater Gal
Summary: Epic like fanfic... charmed/so weird/mysterious ways/superman xover... When the Higher powers are threatened by Fiona's existence, who will help protect her?... yada, yada, hey! it's almost finish, but not quite
1. Gathering of Heroes

"Protecting Fiona Phillips"  
By: Sweetwatergal  
  
—A Charmed/ L&C: Superman/ Mysterious Ways/ So Weird xover ff  
DISCLAIMER/ AUTHOR'S NOTE: Okay, okay, the usual note that   
fanfiction authors write just to avoid the legal technicalities. I do not in any   
way own the cast of Charmed, and So Weird. Nor do I own Jimmy Olsen   
from Lois & Clark: The new adventures of Superman, and Declan Dunn from   
Mysterious Ways. Only in my dreams do I wish to own Brian K. (Leo), Justin   
W. (Jimmy), Adrian P. (Declan), Patrick L. (Jack), Eric L. (Carey), and Erik D. (Clu). The only characters that I do own are Kiara Lance and Michael Hunt.   
First fanfic—make that, first epic-like fanfic—so please be kind and R&R.  
  
PART I  
"Okay Kiara, one more time." Prue Halliwell called out to the young   
woman from clear across the room. She watched as Kiara Lance cast   
another of her sister's CD with just a flick of her wrist. The object flew   
into the air, towards Prue. The twenty-eight year old raised her right hand,   
palm out, and prepared to catch the disc when…  
"Hey, Prue. Have you seen my—" Phoebe Halliwell bounded down the   
stairs and yelped as a round object flew past her, barely hitting her. She   
glared at her older sister, "Well, at least I now know the whereabouts of my   
entire CD collection."  
"Sorry, Phoebe." Kiara smiled sheepishly at her god sister. "Prue was   
just helping me fine tune my powers." The nineteen year old placed a hand   
on the remaining stack of Phoebe's CDs, magickally orbing them into the   
older witch's hands.  
"We were going to return them, Pheebs." Prue added, as she walked   
over to hand the other stack of CDs to her twenty-three year old sister.   
Phoebe smiled at the two witches, "It's okay if you guys use my discs…   
I just would like a warning if you're gonna use it for target practice."  
"Hey guys, need some help here!" A voice called out to them from   
outside the front door. Recognizing the voice, with a single hand motion,   
Prue opened the door for her other sister, Piper.  
Piper Halliwell stumbled inside, hands full of groceries. "Thanks,   
Prue." She smiled meekly, still struggling with the bags of food.  
"Here, let me help you, Piper." Kiara said to the twenty-six year old.   
She grabbed a package, allowing Piper to breath easily.   
"Well, let it be said that you were always my favorite god sister,   
Kiara." Piper smiled at her.  
"She's our only god sister, Piper." Phoebe chimed in as she and Prue   
followed the other two witches into the kitchen area.  
Prue, Phoebe, and Piper, also known as the Charmed Ones, were glad   
that there was another witch in San Francisco that they can depend on,   
besides each other.   
As the four women sat around the kitchen area talking and fixing up   
some snacks, they were unaware of a new presence orbing into the room. His   
eyes spied the four and a small smile spread across his handsome face.   
"It's amazing how all four of them look like sisters." He chuckled to   
himself.   
It was only too true and eerie. There was Phoebe, who had dark hazel   
eyes and darkened auburn hair. Prue was the only Halliwell sister with icy   
blue eyes, but also dark, almost raven, shoulder-length hair. Piper, who Leo   
loved with all his heart, had Phoebe's eyes and Prue's hair color. The only   
feature that made her stand out from her two sisters was her kind, shy   
smile. Prue had a cunning, seductive grin, while Phoebe could easily pull off a   
sly and mischievous smile.  
If a total stranger were to walk into the room, one would assume Kiara   
the fourth Halliwell sister. She had short raven hair, and a petite frame   
almost similar to the Charmed Ones. Only real exception that immediately   
stood out was her cat-like eyes. They were electric blue with a hint of   
silver. A lot of people would be shocked to realize that she doesn't wear   
contacts, that she was born with those eyes.  
Kiara smiled at the Charmed Ones, glad to be in such great company.   
Suddenly, she felt a new presence in the room.   
Phoebe noticed Kiara's sudden movements. She watched as the young   
woman's eyes shifted, as if calculating a plan. "Kiara…" Phoebe's began, but   
was silenced as she witnessed the young girl orb herself from the group.  
"Kiara?" Piper spoke, startled by the disappearance.   
Leo had seen Kiara orb out of the room, but where? He was going to   
make his presence known to the women when suddenly…  
"Guess who?" Kiara giggled, orbing herself on top of Leo's back. Leo   
groaned as he felt the weight of the young woman, surprised by the ambush.   
Prue, Piper, and Phoebe laughed as Leo stumbled around, with Kiara   
riding piggy-back.   
"Okay, Kay. You can get off now." He said, trying to hide the smile on   
his face as he tried to act serious.  
"Fine, party-pooper." Kiara replied. She smiled up at the Charmed   
Ones's white lighter. She knew that Leo wasn't really upset with her for   
pulling that stunt.  
"Hey, Leo." Phoebe called out.  
"Hey." Prue also answered.  
"Hi, hon." Piper smiled at the love of her life, as he walked over   
towards her.   
"Anything new on the heavenly front?" Kiara asked, joining the others   
again.  
"Actually," He began, sitting himself down next to Piper, "That's why   
I'm here."  
"As if you're usually here to see all of us, and not just Piper, on a daily   
basis." Phoebe remarked.  
"So what's wrong?" Prue asked, wanting to get the supernatural   
business over and done with.  
"Well, something major is going to go down within the next few weeks.   
Something that will involve a lot of people."  
"People-people or our kind of people?" Kiara questioned.  
"Innocents." Was his only reply. "All I know is that there's a young   
woman out there who knows too much about the supernatural world and that   
she's going to need some major protection."  
"Tell us all you know, Leo. I have a feeling that it isn't going to be as   
easy as some of the other quote-unquote adventures we've been through."   
"Psychic intuition, Pheebs?" Kiara asked half jokingly.  
"Seriously, Phoebe's right. Tell us everything that you know, don't   
spare us even the smallest detail." Said Prue, preparing herself mentally for   
the task at hand.  
Leo stood up, facing the Charmed Ones as he prepared to give them   
their latest challenge.  
"You're going to need all the help you can get. Including yours, Kiara.   
The higher power needs you to be physically, emotionally, and most of all,   
mentally prepared in order to help the Charmed Ones. They say that within   
the next few days, some newcomers will be introduced into your lives. They   
may seem like ordinary people, but they will be your greatest allies.   
Especially the young woman who will need your protection. For now, she has   
been able to shield off her special connection from our side of reality, but   
it's slowly returning to her."  
"You mean, she was able to bind herself from her connection to the   
supernatural?" Kiara asked.  
"Yes."  
"Is she a witch, Leo? Like us?"   
"Her blood lines run from a powerful witch, Piper." He answered.   
"They won't tell me whether or not she has it in her blood."  
"But she must, Leo. How can someone whose ancestor was a magickal   
witch not at least have an amount, even a small one, of her powers?" Phoebe   
asked, trying to make sense out of it.  
"Whether or not she has the Celtic blood in her, she still will need   
some major help."  
"What's her name, Leo?" Kiara asked.  
"Her name's Fiona. Fiona Phillips."  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Fiona! Fi!" He yelled. His eyes downcast at his watch. A frustrated   
sigh escaped his lips, "Fiona! Get your butt out here right this minute!"  
"Relax, Jack." Carey Bell said, casting an amused smile at his younger   
brother, Clu.  
"Of course it's easy for you guys to tell me to relax. You don't have   
someone like FIONA PHILLIPS…" He shouted, then lowered his voice again,   
"For a sister.  
The eighteen year old glanced at the door again. He was about to   
open his mouth when a young blond girl entered the scene. Sixteen year old   
Annie Thelen glared at Jack Phillips, "Relax, Jack. Fi will be out in a second."  
"I can't believe I told my mom that I'd agree to wait for Fi." Jack   
groaned.  
"You could have gone off with Molly, Irene, and Ned, like they   
offered. I mean, Clu and Carey said they'd wait for us, Jack." Annie pointed   
out.  
"This is ridiculous…" sighed Jack. He stood up, and was about to   
check on Fi when Jack's cell phone began to ring.   
"Hello?"  
"Jack, honey, where are you guys?"  
"Oh, hey mom. We're still on the bus, awaiting for Princess   
Procrastinator Phillips to make an appearance." He answered sarcastically.  
Carey smirked at Jack's words, earning a playful slap from Annie.  
"Well, we're in the club right now, checking out the stage and all.   
Come on in as soon as possible okay? We're actually still waiting for the   
club's owner to arrive."   
"Alright, mom. In fact, we'll be in there in five minutes or less. I will   
drag Fiona out of here if I have to."  
"Hopefully, you won't need to, Jack."  
"This is Fi, we're talking about, mom. Ever since she came back, she's   
been fashionably late."  
"That's because I always feel the need to make an appearance, Jack."  
Jack looked up, smiling wearily at his sixteen year old sister.   
"We'll see you inside, mom. The Princess has finally arrived."  
"Be nice to your sister, Jack."  
"You know I am, mom."  
"Okay, bye."  
"Bye." Once Jack hung up, he smirked at his sibling. "You finally   
decided to grace our presence, Princess Procrastinator."  
"Cut the sarcastic routine, Jack." She smirked right back.  
Though Fiona and Jack tend to get on each other's nerves, there is no   
doubt that the two Phillips children would do anything for each other. For a   
family as close as theirs, Fi and Jack could always depend on another to be   
there 24/7.   
"Are you two ready to go inside P3, now?" Carey interrupted. He and   
Annie were already by the bus door.   
"After you, dear Princess." Jack replied, bowing to his baby sister.   
He couldn't resist continuing their little game.  
"Thank you, my dear Frog Prince." She answered, as she joined Clu's   
side. Clu Bell held out his hand for Fi to take.  
Jack watched as Fi and Clu held hands. The usual jealous stirring   
occurred, but then faded away. He was used to that feeling ever since his   
sister and his best friend started going out. It freaked him out at first,   
causing him a sudden urge to beat the daylight out of Clu every five   
minutes… but because he loved seeing his Fiona happy, and she was happy   
with Clu, he grew to respect their relationship. He was afraid though that   
one day, one of them will get hurt. Jack knew that when that day comes, if   
it does, he'll lose his friendship with Clu. If Clu were to break Fi's heart,   
Jack knew that out of brotherly duty, he'll have to kill him. If Fi broke Clu's   
heart, Jack knew that Clu will feel extremely uncomfortable being around   
anything that reminds him of Fi… including his friendship with Fi's older   
brother. It was a no win situation, and Jack secretly prayed that neither   
one of them will break each other's hearts. Watching them now as they   
enjoyed one another's company, Jack couldn't help but secretly think about   
how cool it will be if Clu and himself ended up as brother-in-laws. A smile   
appeared on his face as he thought about it, causing Annie to take note of it.  
"What's with the grin, Jack?" she teased.  
Jack quickly wiped it away, shrugging. "Nothin'. Just nothing." He   
replied as all five of them entered the San Francisco club P3.  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Fiona Phillips?!" Piper exclaimed in disbelief.   
"Don't tell me you know her, Piper." Phoebe said.  
"Is she related in any way to Molly Phillips?" Piper asked Leo, hoping   
that she wasn't jumping the gun.  
"She's Molly's daughter." Leo replied.  
"You mean the girl we have to protect is the daughter of the singer   
that Piper just booked for the club?" Prue asked, starting to sense the   
universal connection.  
"Piper's club? P3?" Kiara added.  
"Yes."  
"Talk about the circle of life." Phoebe joked.  
"Any more connections we should know about, Leo?"   
Leo looked at Prue, "Yeah, two more connections, Prue. One of them   
has to do the new photographer in town. You introduced us to him a while   
back."  
"Jimmy Olsen? He's also involved?"  
"You mean the cutie that has the hots for our Kiara?" Phoebe grinned   
slyly.   
Kiara glared at Phoebe, though trying her best to hide a blushing   
smile.  
"And who else?"  
"I think Phoebe knows him," Leo replied, looking at the youngest   
Halliwell sister. "A visiting professor named Declan Dunn."  
"Yeah, I sat in on one of his lectures. Could see why he's connected   
somehow. Word around campus is that he's into investigating paranormal   
mysteries. Totally anal defensive on his subject… would be annoyed by him   
if—"  
"If he wasn't so cute." Kiara finished for Phoebe.  
"Are you reading minds again, Kiara." Prue half-joked with the young   
woman.   
"No, I just know Phoebe too well."  
Piper glanced at the wall clock, and gasped. "Oh my gosh, speaking of   
connection… I have to meet with the Molly Phillips band right this minute! I   
totally forgot about it."  
"You want us to come with you, Piper?" Prue offered.  
Piper cast a glance at Leo, "I don't know. If you want to."  
"I think we should." Kiara finalized the idea. "That way, we can check   
out what makes this Fiona girl so special enough that she needs the   
protection of the Charmed Ones."  
"Kiara's right. If all of you at least become friends with her, she'll be   
able to trust you more with her life. Listen, I'm going to go back and get   
some new information. I'll contact you guys as soon as possible." Leo said,   
before kissing Piper good-bye and orbing on out.  
"Alright, let's move it on out!" Phoebe cried out, whirling an imaginary   
lasso, causing her sisters and Kiara to crack a smile. They can always count   
on Phoebe to bring laughter despite any hurdles and odds they have to face.  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Yeah, CK, I miss you guys too." Jimmy smiled into his phone. "But   
you guys were right when you suggested I go off on my own for a while."   
He adjusted the phone with his shoulder while trying to work in his   
new dark room. "Okay, well, tell Chief that whenever the Daily Planet starts   
to fall apart without me, I'll catch the next flight out to Metropolis." He   
chuckled. "Alright, CK… Give Lois a hug for me and I'll talk to you guys   
later… Okay, bye."  
Jimmy Olsen grinned to himself, despite the fading emotion of   
homesickness. He did miss Metropolis and all his friends back at the Daily   
Planet, but he didn't regret moving out here to San Francisco for a while. It   
was a new experience, a new life… a new beginning. At least he knew that he   
can count on nothing extraordinary like seeing a super hero in blue tights   
flying about here.   
As Jimmy worked with his film, a beautiful face flashed before his   
eyes. He shook his head, trying hard to concentrate on his work at hand.   
Unfortunately, he couldn't help but think about her.  
He remembered the first time he met her… met Kiara Lance.  
Jimmy had Prue Halliwell to thank for the introductions made. He was   
new in town and Prue volunteered to help the new guy around.   
*beginning of flashback*  
"You'll love this club, though I may be a bit bias seeing as me and my   
sisters own it." Prue practically dragged Jimmy into P3.  
The night club was packed with a lot of young people, dancing the   
night away. Jimmy had to admit, the club was pretty happening.  
He watched as his assigned partner call out to a dark haired woman   
with a tall blond man.   
"Piper! Leo!"   
"Hey Prue." The woman beamed at her.  
"Jimmy, this is my sister, Piper, and her boyfriend, Leo." Prue said.   
"Piper, Leo, this is Jimmy Olsen. He's new in town, and is a new photographer   
for the magazine."  
"Hi." Leo extended a friendly hand.  
"Hey Prue! Finally decided to join the living and party with your baby   
sisters?"   
Jimmy turned around, as did Prue, at the sound of the new voice. His   
jaw nearly dropped at the sight of the raven haired angel next to Prue's   
other sister.  
"Whoa… hello. Hi! I'm Phoebe Halliwell."   
Prue held back a smirk, while Piper giggled silently at Phoebe's   
reaction to Jimmy.  
Being a gentleman, Jimmy managed to stray his eyes from the angel.   
He smiled at Phoebe, "Hey, my name's Jimmy."  
His eyes landed on the beauty again, his movement catching the   
Halliwell sisters' attention. Phoebe closed her mouth for a moment, then   
realizing that maybe she shouldn't flirt with this new guy after all.  
"And this," Phoebe grinned, placing a sisterly arm around her friend,   
"Is Kiara Lance."  
"Hi Jimmy, it's nice to meet you." She held out her hand shyly to him,   
her blue-silver eyes shining of beauty and youth.  
"Pleasure's mine, Kiara." Taking her hand, nearly jumping at first   
contact. Something was there… and Jimmy noted that Kiara also felt it.  
*end of flashback*  
"Kiara Lance." His sighed, a bit dazed. Suddenly, his timer pierced   
his thoughts. "Whoa! Yikes… hello, Olsen. Wake up and smell the film   
exposures."   
Jimmy glanced over his photographs when something in one of them   
caught his eye.   
"Hello… what is this?"  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"C'mon Peggy…" Declan Dunn pleaded into the phone. He removed his   
glasses, rubbing his tired eyes. "Alright, alright. I won't ask anymore." The   
college professor looked over his notes, "Can you at least do this one tiny   
favor for me? Since you refuse to fly down here to San Francisco for me…"  
A smile spread across his face as he heard her comply to the favor   
before actually knowing what it is.  
"Since I'm lonely with my tag team, can you possibly try to at least   
change Miranda's mind? See if she can make it down here… yes, I'll admit it,   
I do need you guys with me…" Declan chuckled, despite the fact that he had   
to resort to begging.   
Declan was missing his partners in crime, but a part of him had to   
admit that he actually needed the solitude. He had been called by an old   
associate of his to give a lecture on one of his many recent scientific   
findings. When he realized that he had to fly to San Francisco, he took it as   
a work-slash-vacation opportunity. How could he say no?  
His visit was made especially interesting thanks to one of the college   
students he met… Phoebe Halliwell.  
She had sat in on of one of his lectures. The talk was about the facts   
and myths of witchcraft in old and modern history. Boy, he thought to   
himself, the girl had spunk. Contradicting him at every corner, adding in her   
own two cents… and the fact that not only was she smart, but attractive to   
boot didn't help Declan one bit.  
"Huh?… yeah, Peggy, I'm still here…"  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"I'm so sorry, everyone." Piper bounded down the stairs of the club,   
smiling apologetically at the group around the stage area.  
Prue, Phoebe, and Kiara followed behind Piper, keeping their eyes on   
anyone that could be Fiona Phillips. Prue nudged the two, indicating a young   
blond girl next to the lead guitarist. They cast a look that asked "Could she   
be the one?"  
Piper, on the other hand, found her eyes stray towards a petite   
auburn hair girl holding hands with a young short blond hair man. She had a   
feeling that this might be the Fiona Phillips in need of protecting.   
"Are you Piper Halliwell? My name's Irene Bell, I believed we talked   
on the phone before?" Irene extended her hand to Piper.  
"Yes, I'm Piper. And this is my club, P3." She cast a glance towards   
her sisters and Kiara. "These are my sisters, Prue and Phoebe. And our god   
sister, Kiara Lance."   
"I'm Molly Phillips," She indicated towards everyone, including the one   
person they were looking for. "This is my son, Jack, and my daughter Fiona.   
Fiona's boyfriend, and Irene's son, Clu Bell. Ned Bell, his son, Carey. And   
this talented young girl next to Carey is my opening act, Annie Thelen."  
"Hey, everyone!" Phoebe smiled.  
Carey was stunned as he took notice of Prue Halliwell. There was   
something mysterious, exotic, and cool about her. Her blue eyes met his,   
causing him to stumble. Prue saw his reaction, and smirked.   
As Piper took Irene and Molly aside, Prue, Phoebe, and Kiara decided   
to chat up with the Fi and her friends.  
With one glance, each witch decided to divide and conquer. Kiara went   
to talk to Jack, Phoebe decided to chat with Fi and Clu, and Prue went up to   
Carey and Annie.  
"So, what's it like to have a mom for a rock star?"   
Jack looked up and smiled at Kiara. "It's pretty cool." He looked her   
over, and was taken a back for a moment by her eyes.  
Kiara laughed, "I take it you just noticed my eyes."  
"Those are pretty cool contacts."  
"Well prepare to be shocked, I'm not wearing contacts."  
He looked at her, stunned. "Get out of here."  
"I'm not kidding. Blue, with a hint of silver, is my natural eye color."  
"Wow. Well, just don't mention that to Fi or Annie."   
"Why not?" She moved closer to him, realizing that she might have   
stumbled onto something valuable.   
"Well, no offense, but it's pretty weird for someone to have such   
unique natural eye color like yours. They would think you were like an alien or   
something."  
Or something, she thought to herself.   
"Are you as good as everyone else says you are?" Prue smiled at   
Carey.   
Annie had to hold back a laugh as she noticed Carey's nervous   
behavior. She knew instantly that Carey was smitten by Prue.   
"I-I-um.. I try to be." He held his guitar tighter, 'til the strings   
practically left an imprint on his hand.  
"So, Annie. You're a singer like Molly?" Prue knew that if she talked   
to Carey more, he'd probably faint right on the spot. She took note of the   
young girl and felt that they shouldn't shrug her off just yet.  
"Not as great as Molly, but I guess I could hold my own." Annie   
glanced at Carey, "But Carey here is an awesome guitarist."  
"Really? I can't wait to hear you play." Prue smiled seductively,   
causing Carey to stumble again.  
"Whoa, I've never seen your brother act sooo… well, so unlike himself."   
Fi giggled.   
"This is so embarrassing," Clu groaned.   
"What is?"  
Clu and Fi looked up, smiling at Phoebe.  
Clu tried to hide behind Fi when he pointed towards his brother.   
"That."  
Phoebe grinned apologetically at them. "When Prue knows someone   
has got it bad for her, she just has to make it worse for them. I don't know   
how many times I can apologize for it."  
"You're Phoebe, right?" Clu asked, finally looking up. "I got confused   
for a moment when your sister made the introductions. All of your names   
start with the letter P."  
"Well, my mom had this thing for 'P' names. Her name was Penny."   
She smiled, "Yeah, I'm Phoebe." She pointed towards Piper, "That's the   
middle child, Piper." And towards Prue, "And our big sister, Prue."  
"Prue?! Prue? Are you here?"  
Everyone looked up at the new voice in the proximity. The Halliwell   
sisters, and Kiara, immediately recognized the newcomer.  
"Jimmy? What are you doing here?" Prue walked towards her   
partner, who was obviously excited over something.  
"I've been looking for you everywhere." His eyes were solely on Prue…   
until it strayed for a moment and was caught off guard by Kiara's presence.   
Kiara knew that stunned look, and waved shyly at Jimmy. She heard   
Jack whisper to her teasingly "Someone has a crush on you." Kiara nudged   
him, but not too hard.  
"Jimmy? What is it?"  
"Huh? Oh, yeah… take a look at this." Jimmy handed Prue a   
photograph, which caused her to turn pale for a split second. Her eyes   
gazed up and met with her sisters and Kiara. They knew instinctually that   
something was up.  
"Remember that day when you said that I should take some outside   
shots of your Victorian house?"  
Prue remembered that day. Leo had orbed in that very day to tell the   
Charmed Ones some of the latest news. She had to distract Jimmy   
somehow, so she sent him outside. How was she to know that Olsen would   
take some shots capturing Leo orbing out?  
Piper, Phoebe, and Kiara joined Prue's side. They all held back a gasp   
as they saw a shot of Leo half-orbed from the scene. Kiara glanced at   
Piper's worried face. It was practically a mirror of all their faces. How   
were they going to explain this?  
"Whoa! That picture…" The Halliwell sisters turned around, hearing   
Fiona's voice. Much to their dismay, Fiona and company had curiously   
gathered around them.   
"What's up with that guy?" Clu asked, looking over Fi's shoulder.   
Kiara could feel Jimmy's eyes on her. She knew that Jimmy   
recognized Leo in the photo, and she also assumed that her god sisters knew   
that fact too.  
"Hey Piper, isn't that your boyfriend? Leo?" Jimmy asked.  
Piper was beginning to feel very claustrophobic…  
"Piper? Prue? Phoebe? Kiara?"  
"Leo?!" The girls turned around.   
Great timing, Leo, Kiara thought silently. She cast a look at the   
sisters, noticing that they were thinking the same thing.   
Leo had bounded down the stairs, needing to tell the girls something   
very important that he found out from his bosses. When he joined the   
group, he noticed that he might have picked a wrong time to drop in. Prue   
discreetly held up the photo, hoping for him to catch a glimpse of it… which   
he did.  
"Oh boy," he muttered.   
"Weird." Fi whispered, Annie echoing the same word.   
Kiara glanced at Piper, noticing her panic state. She felt for her, how   
could she not? Try explaining to these people, potential clients, that there   
is a very good reason as to why your boyfriend looks like a ghost in the   
photograph. It was then Kiara felt a tight knot in her stomach, especially as   
she read Piper's facial expressions.   
Leo recognized that look of Piper's as well. He met eyes with Kiara,   
knowing that she was thinking the same thought. Before they knew it, both   
of them reached out to Piper, exclaiming the same thing. "No, Piper! Wait—  
"  
Piper threw up her hands, freezing time. She glanced around, meeting   
eyes with the ones she knew wouldn't be affected by her powers; mainly her   
sisters and Kiara. To Leo, with her pointer finger, she unfroze him.  
"Piper," Kiara began.  
"Why did you freeze them?" Phoebe asked.  
"How could I not? I couldn't think straight with all their stares,   
Pheebs. How can we explain these," She grabbed the pictures from Prue's   
hand, "Pictures of Leo? Looking like a ghost no less!" She then gazed past   
her sisters to Kiara and Leo, "And why did you two try to stop me?"  
Both pairs of eyes drifted towards the main reason why, for she knew   
that actions could speak louder than words…  
"What happened?!"  
"Oh my gosh…"  
"You froze them!"  
The Halliwell sisters turned around, shocked by the fact that Fiona,   
Annie, and Jimmy was unaffected by Piper's powers.  
"That's why." Both Kiara and Leo replied, meekly.  
"Ladies, this isn't good." Phoebe mumbled to her sister witches,   
before trying to feign an innocent smile towards Fi, Annie, and Jimmy.   
"Guys! Hey… you know, this isn't what it seems."  
"Yeah? Well if it isn't what it seems," Annie began.  
"What is it then?" Fiona finished.   
"Because it looks like to us that you froze everyone in place, with the   
big exception of us, of course." Jimmy added.  
"That's why I came looking for you guys," Leo said to the Halliwells   
and Kiara. "It seems that there's something real—I guess the appropriate   
word right now would be 'magickal'—about Fiona, Annie, Jimmy, and Declan."  
"Who's Declan?" Annie, Fi, and Jimmy asked at the same time.  
"Declan?!" Phoebe looked at Leo, shocked. "You gotta be kiddin' me,   
Leo."  
"That's what they," He indicated towards the heavens, "Told me to   
tell you."  
"Fi?"  
Kiara felt the knot in her stomach again, especially as the unfrozen   
group turned to see a very unfrozen Jack.  
The witches gave Leo a look, which caused him to flinch. He smiled   
meekly at them. "Well, I just assumed that 'they' were wrong when they   
mentioned Jack. Especially when I saw that he was frozen in time like the   
others."  
"Okay," Jack glanced around, "What's going on, you guys?"  
"This is so cool!" Fi exclaimed, the old excitement of the good ol' days   
shining in her eyes.  
"No, it's not Fi." Annie said. She looked around at everyone else, "I   
want to know what happened. Are they going to stay frozen forever?"  
"No, Annie. It's a temporary thing." Kiara explained. To Jack, "Jack,   
I think you better join us. We have a lot of explaining to do."  
"Is this for real?" He looked at his mom. "Wow, she's really… stiff."  
"That's because Piper froze time." Fi said.  
"Piper?" He glanced over at Piper, then to Fi, "This Piper? Froze   
time?" When his sister nodded, he found himself chuckling, "Why am I not   
surprise that you'd come up with some wacky explanation for everything, Fi?   
C'mon, what's really going on."  
"She's right." Jimmy spoke up. "Piper did freeze them, with us being   
the exception."  
Prue sighed, this was getting them no where and she knew it. Deciding   
to take charge, "Look guys, we don't have enough time now to explain   
everything, because Piper's abilities could only last so long."  
"Prue's right," Phoebe vouched for her sister. "Which is why, if   
Prue's thinking what I know she's thinking, we'd like to explain everything at   
a later time."  
"Like when?" Fi asked.  
"Phoebe, I think it'd be wise if you bring Declan to our little meeting   
as well." Kiara advised.  
"Why?"   
"Because you'll need him." Leo responded.   
"Oh." She didn't sound too thrilled at the aspect of having to spend   
sometime outside of school with Professor Dunn… then again, she couldn't   
honestly write this guy off. He was sexy… in an intellectual sort of way. A   
smile appeared on her face, "Okay! I'll talk to him then."  
"Couldn't resist a handsome face, huh Phoebe?" Kiara teased her.  
She glared at her young god sister, though her eyes were twinkling.   
"Guys, seriously," Jack, the oh so familiar voice of reason, spoke up.   
"What's really going on? Freezing time? It's impossible."  
"You've witnessed just the tip of the iceberg, Jack." Piper said.  
"Look, we need to talk to you guys about something really important."   
Prue said to Jimmy, Fi, Annie, and Jack.   
"It's a matter of life or death." Leo added.  
"Excuse me?" Piper and Phoebe met eyes with Leo.  
"Leo…" Prue had that dangerous tone in her voice.  
Kiara sighed, "You're doing a lousy job nowadays as a white lighter,   
Leo."  
"Honey," Piper began, "You didn't tell us that this was, as you so put   
it, a matter of life or death."  
Leo quickly defended himself with, "C'mon, you guys, you've been   
through worse… this is sort of up there between what happened with the   
four horsemen of the apocalypse and when your whole family line was almost   
swiped clean off existence by Cole."  
"Thanks for reminding us, Leo." Phoebe snapped bitterly.   
Prue and Piper glanced at each other, remembering how heartbroken   
Phoebe was over the death of Cole, the half-human, half-demon that fell in   
love with Phoebe and vice-versa.  
"Sorry, Pheebs. You know what I'm getting at."  
"Guys," Kiara spoke up, "They're moving." She pointed towards the   
Molly and the others.  
Piper threw up her hands again, freezing time once more. This time,   
Jack was just as thrown off by what happened as the others.   
"What the?"  
"Whoa, that was awesome!" Fi exclaimed. She glanced at Annie, "You   
gotta admit, Annie. What Piper did was really cool."  
She smiled shyly at her friend, "Yeah… I have to admit that it was."  
"And I thought Superman was the only one on earth with cool powers."   
Jimmy mumbled out loud.  
"Superman? Sounds like a comic book character." Jack smirked at   
Jimmy. "Now I've heard everything."  
"I can only hold time still for so long. Let's just plan a time and a place   
for us to meet so that we can explain all this to you guys." Piper said, a bit   
agitated.  
"How about tomorrow? At Halliwell manor? Say, at three in the   
afternoon? Is that okay with you guys?" Kiara asked the Charmed Ones.  
"Tomorrow at our house at three sounds fine, Kay." Prue agreed. She   
glanced at the others, "Can you guys make it? I can write down the   
directions for you?"  
Jack was about to protest, but Annie and Fi beat him to it.   
"Tomorrow at three sounds fine."  
"What about you, Jimmy?" Kiara asked, smiling at the young man.  
Jimmy nearly crumbled at her beautiful face, whose smile was aimed   
right at him. "Tomorrow? Yeah! Definitely."  
"Phoebe," Prue began, "Do you think you can persuade Declan to join   
us?"  
"Look who you're asking." Both Phoebe, Leo, Piper, and Kiara replied at   
the same time. Phoebe glared at them, "Hey! I resent that!"  
"Great, so it's settled." The head Halliwell met eyes with the others,   
"Oh, and we need to keep what happened here silent and between just the   
nine of us. Can we count on you guys to stay quiet? It's really important."  
"No one would believe me anyway." Jack said, "They'd just think I   
went as far off the rocker as Fi and Annie have already gone."  
"Hey!" Both Annie and Fiona slapped him playfully.  
"Excellent!" Prue glanced over at her sister, "Okay, Piper, you can   
unfreeze them now…"  
"Wait, Piper!" Fi cried, holding her hand out in protest.  
The others looked at her, confused.   
"What is it Fi?" Kiara asked.  
"How important is all this? I mean, Leo said that this was all a matter   
of life or death. We're really involved in all this, aren't we?" She indicated   
towards everyone with the exception of the witches and Leo. "Are we in   
danger?"  
The Halliwell sisters, Kiara, and Leo all met eyes with each other.   
Should they tell her that she was the one that was in more danger than the   
others? Kiara silently sent a message to the other with her mind, telling   
them that they shouldn't. In their eyes, though, Kiara knew that they want   
to be honest with them. Being completely honest with these people from the   
very beginning is the only way for them to be able to gain their trust.   
Kiara turned her eyes downcast, unable to face their reaction as Prue   
spoke truthfully to Fiona. "Yes, Fiona. From what Leo has told us, you are in   
danger… all of you" She didn't look directly at Fi. Her eyes wandered   
around the whole group.  
Kiara looked up, meeting eyes with Prue. She silently smiled with her   
eyes. She really didn't lie… just spared them heart ache from the whole   
truth.  
Fi nodded her head in pensive thought. She then met Piper's eyes and   
smiled bravely, "Well, let's get this show on the road! Unfreeze them,   
Piper."  
"Yes, ma'am." Piper matched Fi's grin as she waved her hands.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Gathering of Heroes: Mission

PART II  
AT A HOTEL  
"Fi, Annie, are you guys insane?! What you're asking me to do is   
basically lie to mom, Irene, and Ned. Not to mention Clu and Carey. And did   
I also mention that going to a complete stranger's house over something as   
ridiculous as freezing time is a totally stupid idea?!"  
"Quick, Fi, your brother is going to have a heart attack." Annie joked.  
"Jack, I don't like lying to mom and Clu as much as you do… but this   
sounds too important."  
"Fi's right, Jack. Didn't you hear what Leo said? It's a matter of   
life…"  
"Life and death. Yeah, I heard it the first time, Annie." Jack sighed,   
falling on the hotel bed.  
It was the morning after the "weird encounter" back at P3. Fi and   
Annie had managed to send the Bell brothers out on errands for them while   
they talk about their plans this afternoon.  
The Halliwell sisters, Kiara, and Leo felt extremely relieved to have   
the others on their side after the incident. It was much easier for them to   
dismiss the "photo" of Leo with Fi and Annie distracting the others.  
"Well, I know Molly has that radio station interview this afternoon.   
And since your mom gave Ned and Irene the afternoon off, I know that   
Irene plans to drag Ned around the city, shopping and site-seeing."  
"That leaves Clu and Carey." Fiona said thoughtfully.   
"Well, Annie, Carey, and I had plans to see a movie this afternoon."   
Jack informed his sister.  
"Clu said he had plans for us too." Fi added.  
Annie sighed, only one thought coming to mind. "Guys, we have to tell   
them."  
"Annie, we can't!" Fiona exclaimed.  
"I'm going to have to agree with Fi." Her brother said, then slyly   
adding, "For once."  
"If we tell them about this, and if what Prue says is right, we'll just be   
dragging them into the mud with us! And I can't do that to Clu."  
"And Carey." Jack added.  
"I know you love Clu too much to put him in danger, Fi. But you know   
that he would do anything to keep you safe. Same goes for Jack, Carey, and   
everyone else that loves you."  
"Annie's got a point there, Fi."  
Fi sighed, not knowing what to do or think. Jack noticed the distress   
on his baby sister's face. He hated seeing Fi in such pain. He held out his   
arms for her, "Come here, Fi."  
Fiona allowed herself to be hugged by Jack, feeling safe in her big   
brother's protective arms.   
"We have to at least tell Clu and Carey about this, Fi. The more of us,   
the better chance we have of keeping this from the adults."  
She nodded, looking up at him. "You guys are right. Let's tell them."  
Annie smiled at Jack, giving him a silent thumbs-up. Who says that Fi   
was the only Phillips with the ability to wrap people around her finger?   
"Besides," Jack added, "They'll definitely believe you two. You know   
how gullible those guys are into believing whatever weird stories that come   
out of both your mouths."  
Annie and Fi glanced at each other, thinking the same thought. Both   
reaching for pillows, they smacked Jack right on the face.  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
ON CAMPUS  
"You two just had to follow me, didn't you?" Phoebe glared at her two   
sisters as they tried to hold back a giggle.  
"Whatever do you mean, dear sister?" Prue asked.   
"Give it up, Prue. Phoebe's the original actress in the family."   
"That must explain the outfit she's got on then, huh Piper?" Prue   
indicated toward Phoebe's wardrobe. Phoebe was wearing a pink halter top   
barely covered by a white jacket. She was also wearing a matching short   
skirt to reveal her tanned legs.  
"You guys are so mean!" Phoebe tried to walk ahead, distancing   
herself from the others. "Just because I'm the youngest. The baby of the   
group."  
"You think she's onto us, Prue?" Piper teased, as they caught up with   
her.  
"Guys!" Phoebe turned around. "I said that I could handle Declan and   
I will handle it! So please, leave."  
"We know you can handle Declan, sister dear," Prue smirked, causing   
Phoebe to glint back at her.   
"What Prue is trying to say," Piper interrupted, back in the middle as   
only a middle child could accomplish, "Is that maybe he would really believe   
you if we were there with you. I mean, how else are you going to get Declan   
to agree on coming to our little meeting unless you give him a reasonable   
explanation without incriminating yourself."  
"Wow, Piper. And all in one breath no less." Prue remarked. She   
smiled innocently at her middle sister, "Seriously, Piper's right, Phoebe. And   
since you said that he's into all this unexplained phenomenon, I'm sure that   
three powerful witches will definitely catch his attention."  
"I thought you two promised not tease me on my passive powers   
again." Phoebe's only strong power at the moment was her clairvoyant   
ability. Recently, she acquired the power to float in mid air, but she was still   
finding it hard to control.  
"We're not, Pheebs." Prue defended.  
After much thought, "Okay. Fine. Let's go." Phoebe started to walk   
ahead again. Prue and Piper followed, Prue slyly adding, "At least we finally   
get to meet the man responsible for Phoebe's sexy wardrobe."  
"I heard that!"   
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
HALLIWELL MANOR  
"Okay, Kiara. Now concentrate solely on the orange." Leo advised her,   
just before tossing the fruit into the air.  
The young woman stared at it intently, then caught it… so to speak.   
Relying completely on her telekinesis, Kiara was able to stop the orange in   
mid air, causing it to spin on its own axis.   
"You're getting stronger everyday, Kiara." Leo smiled proudly at her.  
"I just hope that one day I could be one-fourth as powerful as the   
Charmed Ones."  
"You'll be more than that, Kiara. Believe me."  
Kiara beamed, then tossed the fruit back towards Leo. "Maybe."  
Leo was about to toss another object Kiara's way when the Halliwell   
doorbell rang.  
"Coming!" Kiara called out.   
She made her way towards the door, while Leo decided to orb himself   
into the living room.  
"You gotta teach me how to do that sometime, Leo." She smirked as   
she rounded the corner past him.  
"Hey, we need to at least keep some white lighter tricks a secret."  
Answering the door, Kiara was both surprised and secretly glad to see   
Jimmy.  
"Hey, Olsen. You're early."  
"Well, don't early birds always get the worms?"  
"Quite a cliché." She retorted, opening the door wider, "Come on in,"   
To Leo, "Leo, it's Jimmy!"  
Jimmy entered the living room, "Hey Leo. Where's Prue and her   
sisters?"  
"Hey, Jimmy. They left to talk to Declan."  
"Have a seat, Jimmy. Want something to drink? Ice tea, maybe?"  
"Ice tea is fine, Kiara." He smiled at her. His heart jumped as she   
nodded and returned the smile.  
"Alright. Same thing for you too, Leo?"  
"Sure, Kay."  
"Don't gossip without me." She sang-sung into the kitchen.   
"Like us men gossip." Scoffed Jimmy. "Right, Leo?"  
"Yeah," He called out. "Us guys don't gossip, Kiara…"  
"We prattle around…" Jimmy lowered his voice.  
"Exactly." Leo agreed, his voice also soft.  
"Professor Dunn? Hello… it's me, Phoebe Halliwell?" Phoebe stepped   
into the college classroom, noticing its emptiness. She waited a few seconds,   
thinking that maybe he was in the office next to the classroom. "Okay, he's   
not in here like Becky said he would be…"  
"Miss Halliwell… well, I see that you've come back to harass me even   
more."   
Phoebe spun around, feigning a laugh.  
"Ha… me? Harass you? Never, Professor."  
Declan stepped out of the shadows, his eyes taking the college   
student in. He stopped for a second, stunned.   
"You okay, Professor Dunn?" She took a step towards him, noticing   
that he was no doubt handsome… in a scrubby sort of way.  
Shaking his head, he had to remind himself that this girl was a   
student… an attractive student who no doubt probably had a boyfriend.  
"Yeah, I'm fine, Phoebe." He looked down at his teaching notes, "So   
what can I do for you today?"  
"Uh… well…" She stumbled, a bit nervous. Taking a deep breath,   
"Okay, wait here." Phoebe stepped out into the hallway, "Prue! Piper! Can   
you come in here please?" She faced Declan again, "First, I want you to   
meet my sisters."  
"Wow, already meeting family without having been out on the first   
date. Aren't we taking things a bit too fast, Phoebe? I don't even know your   
birth date." He teased.  
She gave him the once-over before replying, "I'm a Scorpio… what's   
your sign?"  
Declan chuckled, boy did this girl know how to flirt. He was about to   
respond when two women, Phoebe's sisters, stepped into the room. He   
smiled at them, thinking that beauty does run in the family.  
"Professor Declan Dunn, these are my sisters, Prue and Piper Halliwell.   
Prue, Piper, this is Professor Dunn."  
He shook hands with them, offering a kind smile to each lady. "Please,   
call me Declan."  
"Does that apply to me too, Professor?" Phoebe grinned flirtatiously.  
Piper and Prue smirked, knowing that she would flirt with any guy   
worth teasing—including a college teacher.  
"Wouldn't have it any other way, Phoebe." He flirted right back.  
Piper sighed, "Phoebe…"  
"What? Oh, yeah… uh, we're here for a reason, Declan. A very   
important reason in fact. We… well, we basically need your help."  
"Do you mind if I ask what for?"  
"We can't really talk about it here and now, Declan," Piper said, "But   
we're hoping you can join us at our home later this afternoon… say, three   
o'clock? We can fill you in on our… well, our situation then."  
"How important is this—situation?"  
Phoebe cast a glanced at her sisters. They nodded, complying to their   
sister's silent request.   
She looked at him, "Declan, word around campus is that you're sort of   
like a moth attracted to the miraculous wonders of the world flame."  
He smiled, "Moth to a flame, alright."  
The youngest Halliwell smirked, "Well, how's this for miraculous…   
Prue?"  
Declan watched, first in confusion, as Prue held her right hand up,   
palm out. She had a look of mixed concentration and natural ease as she   
suddenly was able to "snatch" his notes away from his grasp. His eyes went   
wide with shock as she handled his notepad that was now in her hand. "How'd   
you… you just…"   
Prue smiled coyly as she then floated the notepad two inches above   
the palm of her hand.   
A single word popped into his head, "Telekinesis."  
"Just one of her powers, actually." Phoebe bragged.  
"Powers?" He asked, a bit baffled.  
"Speakin' of which, check out Piper's prowess." She pointed out as   
Piper nudged Prue.  
Declan watched as Prue violently toss the notepad high into the air.   
He inched instinctively to catch it, but Phoebe stopped him.   
Just as she cried, "Wait Declan," Piper threw her hands up and   
stopped the pad in mid air. He looked at the object, stunned. He then gazed   
over at Piper. "You stopped it. How?"  
"Look around you, Declan. The pad wasn't the only thing frozen in   
time." Phoebe said.  
He glanced around the room, and began to notice some of the small,   
yet significant things. The wall clock was still, the air felt quiet, unmoving.   
As his eyes wondered to outside of the classroom walls, his breath held as   
he noticed that the wondering students were… well, not wondering around at   
all. Frozen in place… frozen in time.  
"You froze time." he said to Piper, awed by her ability.   
"Yeah," She humbly replied.   
Declan faced Phoebe, "And you? What's your gift?"  
"What makes you think that I have a gift?"  
"A feeling. So do you?"  
"I'm clairvoyant… and recently, I can fly."  
"Fly?" He grinned with amusement. Declan looked over the sisters,   
"So, why are you guys showing me this?"  
"Because we wanted to give you a taste of what's to come… and   
because we need you to trust us, just like we need to trust you." Prue   
replied.  
"Well, you guys can definitely trust me." He was so awed by them,   
"You guys… it's totally incredible!"  
"So, we can count on you for sure?"  
"Yeah. I'm in!" Declan had a very good feeling about this… and   
towards the three Halliwell sisters. Especially Phoebe.  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Yeah… uh-huh…"   
Jimmy glanced behind the couch, watching Kiara pace back and forth   
while on the phone. He faced Leo again, who still shrugged.   
"I understand, Annie… No, you're right, they have to know… Don't   
worry about what they'll say, Annie… Look, they'll understand… Okay, we'll   
see you guys later then, alright?… Great, bye."  
"Kay, why did Annie call you?" Leo asked as Kiara hung up her cell   
phone and joined the guys in the living room.  
"Oh… well… you'll see. Later on tonight, that is." She had a secretive   
smile, sort of a "cat that ate a cannery" grin.   
"Good or bad?" he asked.   
"I guess it depends on how you look at it." She shrugged.  
"In other words, it's probably bad." Jimmy said.  
Leo chuckled at that statement. He was about to say something when   
he glanced up, hearing the call from above. The white lighter looked   
confused for a moment, trying to listen in on the heavenly message.  
"Leo?" Jimmy asked. He looked over at Kiara, "What is he doing?"  
"His bosses are sending him a message."  
Leo faced Kiara, a bit shock by what he has heard. "They told them,   
didn't they?"  
"What?" Jimmy gave Kiara a confused look.  
Kiara nodded, "They had to. Besides, Annie said that they can be   
trusted."  
"Can someone please fill me in here?"   
Leo sighed, then looked over at Jimmy. "They," indicating towards the   
heavens, "Just told me that Fiona and company had informed two more   
people about the meeting this afternoon. Two people who are in no way   
capable to protect themselves magickally."  
"Prue, Piper, and Phoebe will understand, Leo." Kiara tried to plead   
her case. "Look, I trust Annie when she says that their friends can be   
trusted. You even… well, you sort of met them. Clu and Carey? Fi's   
boyfriend and the guitarist who has the hots for Prue?"  
"I'm just trying to keep things quiet, Kiara. If anyone else knows…"  
"No one will, Leo. Jeez, keep your halo on."  
Leo rolled his eyes at her, as Jimmy restrained a laughter from his   
lips.  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Prue? Where are you going?" Piper watched as her eldest sister   
walk in the opposite direction from the car.  
"Prue?" Phoebe called out.  
"Guys, I just forgot that Daryl wanted me to come down to the station   
this afternoon."  
"Why?"  
"He wanted me to look over at some photos on a case he's working on.   
He thinks that it's connected somehow to 'our level' of reality. I agreed that   
I'd check it out."  
"Well, why didn't he ask all three of us to look it over?" Piper asked.  
"Because I told him that I'd do it. You guys can cover for me until I   
get back. Besides, it's probably nothing." Before her sisters could protest,   
Prue hailed for a cab.  
Piper and Phoebe met eyes. "Why do I have a bad feeling about this?"   
The younger of the two said as they got in the car.  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Daryl!"  
Police detective Daryl Morris looked up from his files, a small smile   
appearing on his face as he spotted Prue Halliwell. Daryl was practically one   
of the only few mortals around who knew how "special" the Halliwell sisters   
were. It took him some time to adjust to that fact, but there has been   
some great advantages towards him knowing the truth.  
"Hey, Prue. Glad you could make it."  
"Well, I'm glad I could help, Daryl. But I can't stay long."  
He looked in her eyes, feeling that odd "Uh-oh, something's up" feel   
whenever the Halliwells were involved in something big.  
"Should I even ask, Prue?"  
"Maybe not." She replied, giving him a meek grin.   
"But you will inform me—"  
"When and if it's urgent and it involves major covering up." Prue   
finished for him.  
"Okay, I have the pictures in a folder in my office. Wait here while I   
get it."   
As Daryl left for the moment, Prue decided to rest and gather her   
thoughts for the days ahead.  
Being the eldest of the Charmed Ones, and still trying to maintain any   
normality in her life, can definitely wear someone out. Don't get her wrong,   
she secretly loves the challenge that being a witch brings to her life. She   
just doesn't try to show it as much as her baby sister, Phoebe, does.   
"You look like you need an aspirin."  
Prue snapped her head up, shock as she met eyes with the most cutest   
guy on earth… make that, the cutest cop on earth. She silently cringed   
though. Rephrase that, she thought, the cutest living cop on earth next to   
Andy, God rest his soul.  
The tall lean officer had soft eyes, and an adorable—almost   
innocent—smile.  
Prue's mind screamed for her to say something, not just to stare at   
him with her mouth gaping like a total dork.   
"You okay?" He spoke again, a bit concerned.  
"Uh… me? I'm—I'm—I'm fine!" She mentally wanted to slap herself.   
*Great, Prudence, you're acting just like Carey Bell when he first met you!*   
She thought to herself ruefully.  
"Are you sure? Can I get you something? You looked kind of out of it   
a moment ago."  
*He is so sweet!* Prue cried joyfully in her mind. Again, she mentally   
slapped herself as she realized just how childish she was thinking.  
"Prue?" Daryl came up next to her, having noticed that one of the new   
officers was looking at her worriedly. "What's the matter?" He asked both   
her and the officer.  
The cute cop was about to answer, when Prue yelped, "Nothing!" She   
met eyes with the officer, "I mean… nothing is wrong. I'm fine. Really, I   
am."  
Daryl nodded, not quite sure on how to respond to her reaction. He   
glanced and the young cop, then at Prue… when it slowly dawned on him.   
"Prue… this is Michael Hunt. Hunt, this is Prue Halliwell." He   
introduced them to one another.   
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Prue." Michael smiled, causing Prue to   
slightly falter. He held out his hand to her.  
"To meet you a pleasure it's too…" She said, returning his hand shake.   
She stopped, closed her eyes and sighed as she realized how stupid she   
sounded. "I mean, it's a pleasure to meet you too, Officer Hunt."  
"Call me Michael."  
Prue was feeling so giddy over him… now she knew how Phoebe felt   
most of the time. She stared at him in total awe.   
"Prue?"  
"Huh?" She heard the voice, but all she could see was Michael.  
"Prue?"  
Prue faced the voice, and blushed. "Oh, right, Daryl. I'm sorry."  
"I should be getting back to work," Michael said. To Prue, "I hope I'm   
not being too forward by saying this… but, I hope to see you again, Prue."  
Before she could say a word, Michael handed her something, and   
walked away.  
All Daryl could do was shake his head in amusement. Prue stared down   
at her hand, seeing Michael's business card in her palm. A big smile   
appeared on her face, causing Daryl to smirk at her.   
The old Prue, however, quickly snapped back, staring daggers at   
Morris. "What are you looking at?" Snatching the folder with the pictures,   
"And give me that."  
"Unbelievable."  
"And don't you even mention about what had happened to my sisters—  
got it?"  
"Lips are sealed, Prue." He saw her slyly cast her eyes towards   
Michael, who was sitting at his desk. Daryl silently chuckled, "Lips are   
sealed."  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Whoa, cool house." Fiona said, awed by the Victorian house before   
them.   
"I'll say." Clu agreed, squeezing Fi's hand.  
"Guys, we're kind of early. What if they're not home?" Jack asked, a   
bit worried.  
"We're only fifteen minutes early, Jack." Carey said, he and Annie   
joining Jack on each side.   
"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?"   
"Don't worry, big brother." Fi walked up to Jack, giving his arm an   
assuring squeeze. "As long as we're together, nothing will happen." She   
looked at her little safety group, at the people she trusts most in this world.   
"Right guys?"  
"Right." Annie and Carey said at the same time.  
"Definitely." Clu spoke with a smile.  
Jack sighed, his trademark Jack Phillips grin returning to his lips. "As   
they say… all for one—"  
"And one for all!" Everyone else proclaimed with Jack.  
Fi was all smiles. This was how she wanted to spend her days. Going   
off on cool adventures, being with the people she loved and cherished on this   
earth, working together and being one big team. She was glad that she   
decided to return back to the only place she knew as home… and that was   
with the people she holds dear in her heart.  
"Fi?"  
Fiona turned around, seeing Prue Halliwell as she got out of the yellow   
taxi. Prue walked up the driveway, her eyes scanning over the little group,   
confused.  
"Hey, Prue!"   
Prue noticed the extra additions, "Fiona, I don't really mean to be   
rude…"  
"I know what you're thinking." Fi began. "But we had to tell Clu and   
Carey about what had happened at the club, and about the meeting today."  
"I called Kiara," Annie added. "She said that it was okay for them to   
come."  
"Fi…" Prue began, but was interrupted yet again by the young sixteen   
year old.  
"I know that this was meant only for me, Annie, and Jack… but Clu and   
Carey are really dependable guys. They've practically seen the same weird   
stuff I've seen, so whatever out of this world things you and your sisters are   
into, it's probably not as bad."  
Prue sighed, knowing that this was a conversation that needs to be   
talked about inside the manor. She gave everyone a half-smile, "Let's go   
inside, alright? We can talk about it in there where it's less likely for us to   
be overheard by some unwanted… people."  
As she was ushering everyone up, she noticed that Jack was lagging   
behind.  
At the door, she opened it for them and called out for her sisters and   
Kiara. "Piper… Phoebe… Kiara… Fi and her friends are here!" Once everyone,   
with the exception of her and Jack, was inside Prue faced the Phillips boy.  
He smiled at her, sensing that she knew how he was really feeling.  
"You okay, Jack?"  
"Yeah. I'm fine, Prue." He replied, still a bit unsure.  
She placed a sisterly arm around him, "Being an older sibling is tough,   
isn't it? Is that what's bothering you?"  
"Sort of."  
Prue lead him towards the front stoop of the stairs, sitting   
themselves down.  
Jack looked at her, tentative about telling a total stranger about his   
feelings. As he saw into her kind eyes, Jack had a feeling that he could   
trust her… that she was someone that he knew will be there for him when   
worse comes to worse… just like he knew that Fi will always be there for   
him.  
He opened his mouth, about to open himself up to her, when she beat   
him to it.  
"I get worried over my sisters too, Jack. When I look at your sister,   
it's like I'm looking at a younger version of my baby sister Phoebe. They love   
the most weirdest, freakiest things out there… and it scares me! Because if   
Phoebe knows it's out there, she will stop at nothing until she figures it out."  
"That's my Fiona to a T." Jack chuckled.  
Prue reached over, giving him a friendly, reassuring hug. "If you need   
someone to talk to Jack, don't hesitant to look for me. It's strange, but I   
have this feeling that we're going to need each other. And I don't mind   
playing big sister to you, Jack Phillips."   
Jack returned Prue's smile. "And I don't mind playing little brother to   
you, Prue Halliwell."  
Prue gave him one more comforting hug, before getting up. As she   
stood up, she felt Jack's hand reach out for hers. She looked down at him,   
noticing that his eyes changed into a sad blue. "Jack?"  
"It's Fiona, isn't it? That's why we're all here. The real person in   
danger is my baby sister."  
"Jack…" She began, but Jack cut her off as he jumped up and faced   
her, his hand still latched onto hers.  
"I need to know, Prue. I don't know what made me think that it is, but   
if it's so, I need to know. As a big brother, it's my right to know."  
"I'm sorry, Jack…" Was all she could say, for her equally sad blue   
eyes said it all.  
He looked down, sighed, then faced her again. "I can't lose her, Prue…   
she means everything to me. She means everything to my family and to   
everyone else that loves her."  
"She's really special, isn't she?"  
"Yes she is." His pensive expression changed to one of seriousness,   
"And that's why I would do anything in my power to protect her."  
"That's why we're here, Jack." Prue gave his hand a strong, promising   
squeeze, "I promise you, Jack, that nothing will harm Fi. I won't let anything   
happen to your sister… or to you and your friends."  
"Thanks, Prue." His smile returning, "I trust you."  
"Now that," Her eyes were twinkling as she placed an arm around him,   
leading him into the house to join the other, "Is the most powerful sentence   
in the whole universe… next to 'Abra Cadabra, Hocus Pocus.' of course…" she   
slyly added, causing him to laugh for the first time since the whole   
adventure started.  
  



	3. Gathering of Heroes: Revelations

PART III  
Phoebe, Annie, and Kiara were in the kitchen when the doorbell rang.  
"Phoebe!" Piper called out.  
"Yeah?"  
"Declan's here! We can get started now!"  
Phoebe's eyes lit up, causing Kiara and Annie to feign from giggling.   
She noticed their expressions, and stuck a tongue out in retort.  
"Oh, that's mature of you, Pheebs." Kiara replied, filling up the last of   
the ice tea glasses.  
"I'm sure that Mr. Dunn would really find that attractive of you."   
Annie teased also, while helping Kiara with the beverages.  
"Like you two don't act all goofy around guys." She hissed, before   
leaving into the living room.  
"Not as goofy as her anyway," Kiara said to Annie, while they picked   
up the glass trays and started to follow Phoebe's lead.  
Both girls erupted into a fit of giggles as they heard her from the   
next room saying, "I heard that!"  
Once the girls were in the Halliwell living room area, did everyone   
come to order. If one were to walk in, it was quite obvious to note such an   
assemble of people.  
On two pulled out chairs from the glass table sat Carey and Jimmy.   
Both young men had gotten into a conversation over contemporary rock   
bands. On the couch sat best friends Clu and Jack, with Fi rightfully in the   
middle. Prue was talking with Piper and Leo, then decided to sit down next to   
Jack. There was enough room on the couch for all four of them, and he   
didn't mind having Prue sitting next to him. Piper had showed Declan to the   
big easy chair. As he sat down, after being introduced to everyone, Phoebe   
entered the room and appropriately sat on the easy chair's arm. She smiled   
playfully and innocently at Declan, who also returned the smile. The two   
eldest Halliwell sisters gave each other the same "That's Phoebe for you"   
look. Piper and Leo decided to sit on the piano bench for a while, for after   
they decided to stand up and basically conduct the meeting. As Annie and   
Kiara joined the group, Piper and Leo stood up and offered the bench.   
Everyone was present and accounted for… let the meeting—and questions—  
begin.  
"Now that we've got the introductions out of the way, I guess we   
should get started." Leo began.  
"I know that most of you have a lot of questions…" Piper started,   
"Like the most asked one being who we, as in Leo, Kiara, my sisters and I,   
are." She gave her sisters and Kiara a look, who then each returned it with a   
nod. "Well… with the exception of Leo… we're witches."  
"No way." Was the most common response from their new friends.   
Prue felt Jack's eyes on her. She nodded, then held her right palm   
out, facing one of the iced tea glass. Everyone in the room watched as Prue   
was able to lift the glass into the air, without even touching it. She smiled   
rue-fully at Jack, "Telekinesis."  
"She can also astral project." Phoebe proclaimed proudly.  
Carey was stunned… not to mention that his attraction for Prue grew   
even more.  
"And what can you do, Phoebe?" Fi asked, thinking that this was a   
Mulder-like dream come true.   
Declan already knew what Phoebe can do, but he still gazed up at her.   
"Well… I can see the past and the future… but it's a really passive   
power. Recently, though, I was able to float in the air. That really helped   
my high kicks when I'm whooping demon butt." Her eyes were sparkling as   
she said that, causing everyone to chuckle at her amusingly.  
"Piper here," Leo said, turning attention towards his girl, "As most of   
you are aware of, can freeze time."  
"Yeah, we're kind of aware of that." Jack grinned at her, causing   
Piper to blush.  
"What about you, Kiara?" Jimmy asked, his eyes solely on the witch   
who captured his attention, and heart.  
Kiara smiled shyly at him, then at the group. Leo spoke up on Kiara's   
behalf. "Kiara is a different type of magickal being in comparison to the   
Charmed Ones."  
"You're the Charmed Ones?!" Both Annie and Fi exclaimed to the   
Halliwell sisters.   
"You two have heard of us?"  
Fi spoke up, "Only in mythology. See, Annie wanted to do a research   
report on witch craft. So, with my help, we read as much we could about the   
topic… including some of the cool stories that go with the history."  
Annie continued with, "Especially this one legend that spoke of the   
arrival of the Charmed Ones. Three sisters who would become the most   
powerful witches known to mankind. With the Power of Three, nothing can   
stop them."  
"And we now know them!" Fi beamed excitedly. "This is so cool!"  
"They are very powerful." Leo commented. He glanced back at Kiara,   
"Anyway, Kiara is also a witch… but her powers are not completely… well, of   
our reality."  
"My dad was a mortal of this realm," Kiara spoke, "Which, from him,   
gave me mortal life. My mom, on the other hand, ran away from her realm of   
immortality. She was also a witch. When my dad died, my mom knew that he   
wasn't killed in an accident. It was a warning for her to return back to her   
world. So she faked her death, gave me up to my father's sister in Seattle,   
where I was raised, with my powers bound until my seventeenth year. That's   
when I learned the truth… and of my god sisters." She smiled at the   
Halliwells. "The Charmed Ones."  
"We're helping Kiara with her training."  
"And after I learn as much as I can from them, I'm going to the other   
realm to search for my mom." Her eyes were downcast as she announced her   
future plans, not wanting to come in contact with Jimmy's eyes. She was   
afraid of getting too close to anyone, especially him, for she had to leave   
them eventually to find her birth right… her mother.  
"So what are your powers, Kay?" Clu asked.  
"It's somewhat on the same level as Prue's." She explained. "I have   
telekinesis, am able to orb in and out… sort of like Leo." Kiara grinned. "And   
some small little things like…" Her eyes spied over everyone, 'til they landed   
on Phoebe. She smiled wickedly at the youngest Halliwell.  
Phoebe noticed that grin, and panicked. "Oh no… don't you dare,   
Lance!"  
"Now you see Phoebe…"  
"Kiara! Don't…"  
A millisecond later, everyone, with the exception of the sister witches   
and their white lighter, gasped at the disappearance of Miss Halliwell.  
"And now you don't." Kiara smirked.  
"Wow! That was so amazing!" Fi exclaimed.  
"Where is she, Kay?" Annie asked, looking around the room.  
"Kiara, where did Phoebe go?" Declan asked, worried.  
That wicked smile never left Kiara's young face. She winked at   
Jimmy, who had a feeling on what Kiara's next move will be.  
"Hold tight, Declan." Was Kiara's only response… before in a blink of   
an eye…  
"Phoebe!"  
Phoebe Halliwell magickally appeared… and on Declan's lap no less.   
They looked at each other, shock and confused. Phoebe jumped up, amazed   
at what happened. She then turned around, glaring swords at the young   
witch. "Kiara…" Her voice was dangerous as she stalked up to her. Grabbing   
her arm, "Come with me for a second." Before Kiara could protest, everyone   
watched as Phoebe pulled Kiara into the kitchen.   
Carey leaned over to Jimmy, whose eyes were on the kitchen door.   
Whispering to him, "That dream girl of yours will be dead once Phoebe's done   
with her. Did you get a look at that girl's reaction?"  
MEANWHILE IN THE KITCHEN  
"Wait, Phoebe… I can explain. I mean, I thought that I was doing you   
a favor and—" Kiara babbled when she was pushed into the cooking area.  
Phoebe held up her hand, "Don't, okay? I only have one thing to say to   
you, missy." Her eyes were hard, and her voice was stone.  
Kiara closed her eyes, waiting for Phoebe to rip into her. So she was   
shock to say the least when Phoebe unexpectedly grabbed her god sister   
into a huge bear hug.  
"Thank you! You are the best god sister in the whole entire universe!   
In this realm and the in the next!"  
"Wha-wha-what?! Excuse me?!"  
Phoebe's eyes softened, her voice giddy. "You are a genius! Setting   
me on Declan's lap?! That was so… so wicked! I love how you think,   
girlfriend."  
Phoebe hugged Kiara again. When she released her, the talented   
Halliwell actress' expression changed back to her deadly facade. "But you   
better warn me ahead of time if you're going to do something like that,   
alright?"  
Kiara nodded, still speechless.  
Phoebe turned around, and headed back out, when she turned to Kiara   
again, "Oh, and let's not tell Prue guys how I really reacted, okay? This   
conversation… never happened."  
Kiara gave her god sister a thumbs-up, still speechless. When she   
left, Kiara shook her head, mumbling, "Oh boy." She doubled her "Oh boy"   
when she heard Phoebe from the other room saying "So once she apologized   
for the wrong that she's done, I decided to forgive her instead of lecturing   
her on how inappropriate it was for someone of her age playing immature   
tricks like the one she pulled on me."   
"So Leo… we know these lovely ladies are witches… now what does that   
make you? A warlock?"  
"Actually Clu, contrary to popular belief, a male witch isn't a warlock.   
The Scottish translation means 'Truth twister.'"  
"Fi's right," Leo answered. "And I'm no witch. I'm, what's called, a   
white lighter. A white lighter is like a guardian angel for witches. White   
lighters used to be humans. Humanitarians destined, after they die, to be   
white lighters."  
"How did you die?" Fi asked. She stopped however, and quickly   
apologized. "I'm sorry, Leo. I didn't mean to ask like that…"  
"That's okay, Fiona. I had died in World War II, helping a fellow   
soldier."  
A silence fell over on the group. Everyone lost in their own thoughts.   
Piper was the one who broke the ice with, "And Leo serves as a sort of   
messenger for us from a high power." She pointed towards the ceiling,   
indicating the heavens.  
"Which brings us to why we're all here." Leo then added.  
Prue cast a glance at Jack, her heart breaking as she noticed how   
tense he was. He knew the reason, not the whole truth, but enough reason   
to worry. She reached for his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. Jack looked   
up at her, returning the gesture. He was glad that he had someone like Prue   
to look out for him. Being a big brother to someone as unique as Fi was no   
picnic, though don't get him wrong, he loved her to death. Only, he   
sometimes needed someone to understand what he's has to go through. He   
couldn't turn to Clu and Carey, for they didn't even have a sister. Annie was   
out of the question, she was more like Fiona. His mom was… well, his mom.   
Ned and Irene? Same level as his mom. And he couldn't turn to his long   
distance girlfriend, Gabe. She's on the level between the Bell brothers and   
Fi. When Prue came into his life, Jack finally found someone on this earth   
who was capable of understanding him like no other.  
Leo had to deliver a challenge. One where the prize was the life of an   
innocent… an innocent who was more powerful than realized.   
"My bosses, those on the higher heavenly plane, are extremely   
worried. Fi, does the name Bricriu ring a bell?"  
Fiona's blood ran cold. Clu jumped as he felt Fi's grip on his hand   
tighten. He looked at her, extremely worried. "Fi? Hey, baby, what's   
wrong?"  
"How do you know Bricriu?" She demanded, unable to shake this   
feeling of peril running through her veins.   
"He's a lower level spirit. A Will-o-wisp."  
"I know what he is." Fiona's voice was hard. She was about to add   
something else when she stopped cold. She looked at Leo, half confused,   
half scared to death, "I know his name. I remember who he is. Leo, I can't…   
I mean, I shouldn't!"  
"What are you talking about, Fi?" Jack asked her, placing a concerned   
hand on her shoulder.  
"You wouldn't believe me, Jack." She shook her head, sadly.  
"I would, Fi." He turned to Prue, smiling. He then turned back to Fi,   
holding that smile, "Believe me, I would and will believe you."  
Fiona never thought she'd live to see the day where he big brother,   
Mr. Scully himself, would believe any weird things that came out of her   
mouth. She returned the grin, mouthing a silent thank-you. She then turned   
to the others, explaining her story.   
"I had cast a spell less than a year ago. Bricriu came to me, telling me   
that the only way I can prevent any harm from coming to my family is to   
close the door I opened when I would stop at nothing to search the truth on   
the paranormal. He made it sound as if it was a sure thing. That the door   
would be closed forever, and never to be opened again." She looked over at   
Clu, then at Annie and at Jack. Her eyes finally landed on Leo, sighing, "I   
guess I was wrong."  
"When Bricriu gave you that spell to recite, he should have known that   
in your case, it would be temporary. You forgot his name, didn't you? When   
you read the incantation."  
"That's right. And after a few days, when I went to live with my aunt   
Melinda, I forgot about him completely."  
"Fiona, everyone being in the spirit world is worried about you. Both   
good and bad. The good forces are concerned for your safety… the opposite   
side…" He stopped short, not knowing how to tell her. He took a breath,   
then, "They're threatened by you, Fi. You are a very powerful life force.   
Almost as threatening as the Charmed Ones are to them. But there's an   
unfortunate difference between you and the Halliwells."  
Fiona tightened her grip on Clu. She didn't feel like hearing the bad   
news, but the phoenix inside her was burning to rise again.   
"When it comes to the Charmed Ones, they are taking the task of   
silencing them day by day. They're not going to strike all at once. It's sort   
of like a power struggle to them. A paradox of some sorts. It's complicated   
to explain, but basically, they fear yet need the Charmed Ones."  
"And me?"  
"You, on the other hand… they fear you most of all. In one blow, you   
are capable of taking them down. And in one blow, they are capable to do   
the same. They faced the very same issue with your namesake, your great-  
grandmother, Fiona. And with your father, Rick."  
Fi and Jack met eyes, chills running through their spines.  
"Leo," Fi found her voice, fought to keep it stable, "Did they kill my   
father? Did they murder him because he knew too much and because he was   
as powerful as you say that I am now?"  
Piper felt Leo grip her hand. She gently placed a comforting arm   
around his waist, holding him as he delivered the truth to the young woman.   
"Yes, Fi. They did."  
She made no sound. Her eyes felt the tears of bottled up heartbreak   
from years of pain and confusion. Clu placed loving arms around her, ready   
for her reaction. Jack took both of Fi's hands in his. His own eyes were   
already glimmering with tears. He felt Prue place her arms around him, her   
head on his shoulder.  
The room was silent… until a sob broke through the barrier.  
Fiona knew in her heart that there was more to her father's death   
than anyone would care to believe… and now she realizes the truth. Fiona   
began to sob uncontrollably. She was hurt, angry, sad, and yet relieved that   
she now found the truth all a world full of lies.  
Clu held her tight, wanting to be rid of all her pain. He looked towards   
Jack, and a thought came to him. Releasing Fi, he placed her in her big   
brother's arms, where she needed to be. Prue had also released Jack,   
allowing him to comfort his sister. Clu and Prue met eyes, knowing that the   
two needed to take shelter in one another's warmth.  
Carey walked up to Clu, placing a brotherly hand on his little brother's   
shoulder. Prue felt a hand on hers, looking up to see her partner, Jimmy,   
smiling warmly at her. Declan glanced up at Phoebe, noticing that the   
Wiccan vixen had tears in her eyes. He took her hands, and held them in his.   
She looked down at them, confused. Declan silently assured his intentions   
when he reached into his pocket and handed her a tissue, causing Phoebe to   
beam down at him. Leo's heart was breaking as he watched the two Phillips   
children weep over the truth of their father's demise. Piper held him   
tighter in her arms, giving him a kiss on the cheek to reassure his faith that   
telling these younger generations the danger of their reality was good for   
them. Annie's own heart was reaching out Fi and Jack. She knew how much   
they loved their father, and she knew of their heartache over their lost.   
Annie looked over at Kiara, and found herself reaching out to this other soul.   
She placed a sisterly arm around her newfound friend as she noticed the   
tears in Kiara's eyes. Kiara knew only too well what it was like to unjustly   
lose a father.   
When Fi finally calmed down, both she and Jack looked up at Leo. Leo   
knew in his heart what Fi was going to ask, and a part of him couldn't bear to   
tell her. "Leo, they want me dead too, don't they? They killed my dad, and   
now they're going to kill me too."  
"That's not going to happen, Fi." Jack promised. "I will not let them   
do anything to you. They're going to have to get through me first."  
"They're going to have to get through us, Fiona." Clu also promised.   
"I'm not going to let them take the woman I love away from me."  
"That's why we're here, Fiona." Leo said. "They do want to stop you   
by any means possible…"  
"I just wanted to find the truth behind my dad's death, Leo. I didn't   
mean to open any forbidden doors. I guess it became like an obsession to   
me… but I promise not to look anymore, if they'll just leave me alone!"  
"It's not that simple, Fi. Whether or not you opened the doors, even   
if you could care less about the spirit world or the Nexus, you are of Celtic   
Wiccan blood." He looked at Jack, "Both of you are."  
  



	4. The threat

PART IV  
"Both of us are?" Jack asked, confused.   
Leo nodded his head, "Yes. Which means that both of you are capable of an inner power within yourselves. And that can be both a blessing... and a dangerous thing to hold."  
"So why are they only after Fi? If I have the same power, why aren't they after me?"  
Prue knew just how much Jack wanted to protect his sister, and she admired that about him.   
"Because they're not threatened by what you know and what you've seen. Fiona has seen and experienced so much more. No matter what they do to try and silence her, your sister will always have the strength to go on... but not after death."  
Fi felt her brother's hold on her tighten. Her heart was beating from fear... and yet, a part of her wasn't ready to die without a fight. She looked up at Leo, "So, if they want me, what are they going to do? Send out one of their evil spirit creatures to kill me in my sleep? Force me to give up my soul   
by kidnapping someone I love for ransom? What are they planning to do, Leo?" Her voice was rising with anger and dread.   
"The forces may be evil... but they're not completely unjust, Fiona."   
He looked around at everyone in the room. "Which is why we're all here." He was about to continue, when his ears perked up again. Everyone watched as Leo listened in on an incoming message. When he was done, his eyes found themselves on Clu and Carey. A small, surprised smile formed on his face.  
"Well..." he began. He glanced at Annie, "Good call there, Annie, on recruiting Clu and Carey on this quote-unquote journey."  
"What do you mean, Leo?" Prue asked, just as confused as everyone   
else.   
"Those two are just as magickally inclined as everyone else in this room. They were just mistakenly overlooked." He noticed that everyone was still looking at him with blank expressions. "Let me just go through everyone one at a time about their importance in our guarding of Fiona."  
"Huh?" Phoebe, Jimmy, Annie, and Clu said at the same time.  
Kiara grinned, "He means that he's going to explain why we were all   
brought here together and why each of you are 'magickally inclined' as he so   
intelligently put it."  
He smiled at Kiara, not knowing whether she sincerely meant that last part, or if she was being her usual sarcastic self.   
"Everyone in this room is special in his or her own way. Not mere mortal special, I mean in the supernatural sense." His eyes first landed on Jimmy.   
"Jimmy Olsen, do you believe in past lives?"  
Jimmy straightened up, surprised by that statement. "I… well, I really don't know."  
"Because of who you were once, that part of you still exists inside of your soul."  
"That's a good thing, right?" He laughed quietly to himself, his eyes meeting Kiara's. She smiled in response, as Leo laughed also to Jimmy's innocence.  
"Yes, it is. See, you were once a student to a practitioner of witchcraft."  
"Layman's term, Olsen," Kiara interrupted, having caught most people's blank expression, "You were once a witch-in-training." She glanced at Leo, "You know, you could have just said that."  
"Who's conducting the meeting, Kay? Who knows the vital information that needs to be said, Kiara Lance?" Agitation was apparent in Leo's voice.   
"Just trying to help here." She held up her hands in defense.  
Leo sighed, then began again. "Jimmy, you were a witch-in-training. You had the gift within you to control your natural inner powers. And once your training was through, you were able to do a lot of right in innocents' lives."  
"Do I want to know how I died?" He asked meekly.  
"You died an honorable death, Jimmy."  
"Honorable as in old, natural causes… or as in burned at the stake due to using my powers to save someone's life?"  
"I'd bet on the later," Declan spoke up.  
Jimmy glanced from Declan and back to Leo, still waiting. Leo's only reply was, "She never forgot that you saved her life, Jimmy."  
The young man closed his eyes, trying to register what has been told to him. He finally looked up, a brave grin on his face. "Cool."  
Leo turned to Declan. "Mr. Dunn," he began.  
"Please, Leo. Call me Declan."  
"Okay, Declan. With what you've seen, and what you also have experienced, there is no doubt that your life will be intertwined with the likes of magick, the supernatural, and miracles. You have a special sight… so to speak. My bosses says that we could really use that gift."  
Declan nodded. He was ready for the challenge, for this was something completely in his element. He felt a soft hand on his, looking up to see Phoebe smiling down at him. Declan gladly returned it.  
"Annie?"  
Annie Thelen glanced up, meeting eyes with Leo. Leo beamed kindly at her, then his eyes slightly shifted.  
His expression instantly had changed, he was a bit off guard. "Whoa."  
Piper looked at him, concerned by his sudden movement. "Leo? What's wrong, hun?"  
Annie's and Leo's eyes met, realization dawning on her. "You see him, don't you, Leo?"  
"Only when he wants someone to."  
"Who are you guys talking about?" Kiara asked, confused as the rest of the gang… except for Fi, who knew about him.  
"They're talking about Annie's black panther." Fiona smiled.  
"He's Annie's spirit guardian." Leo explained to everyone. To Annie,   
"You are the only one who he solely listens to. This guardian of yours will guide you to, and protect you from, the truth. The truth about yourself, your past and future. You must truly trust him, Annie. For he is the one thing on this earth that will bring you to your true strength and prowess."  
"Wow." Phoebe breathed. She looked at Annie, "I'm impressed."  
"So am I." Kiara agreed. A sly twinkle was in her eye as she then said, "And not just by Annie… but I'm also amazed by you, Leo. Saying all that in one sitting… that's quite a mouthful."  
Kiara smirked at Leo, then jumped, startled by a low growl.   
"Did your spirit guardian panther…" Declan spoke to Annie, "Did he just growl?"  
"No." Annie smiled, at Leo then at Kiara. "That was a different feline growling."  
"Leo…" Piper said, her tone guarding.   
"I think you better keep your comments to yourself, Kiara." Jimmy advised her.  
"I think I will, Olsen." She nodded, bit tentative to face Leo.  
Leo shook his head, took a deep breath, then turned finally to the Bell brothers.  
"Clu and Carey…" He began. "Remember when I said that you may be as vital to this cause as much as everyone else are?"  
"Yeah…" Carey said slowly.   
Leo spoke to Carey first. "Carey, you and Jimmy have a lot in common."  
"You saying that I was also a witch in my past life?"  
"Not exactly. You fell in love with a witch. Does the name Cassandra ring a bell by any chance?"  
Carey stood in silence, jogging his memory. Leo chuckled at Carey's look of concentration.  
"I guess I shouldn't expect you to recognize it right away."  
"Have I met her before? In this life anyway?"  
"No. But you knew she was a witch, and still loved her anyway. She saved your life with her healing powers. You two also conceived a daughter, who became a powerful High Priestess."  
"She had electric blue eyes, didn't she? Raven hair with silver streaks?" He gazed down at his brother, who was staring up at him with shock. "I guess I do remember her." He looked back at Leo, "And I   
remember loving her and our child very dearly."  
"You even died for them, Carey."  
"How?" Annie, Fi, Clu, and Jack asked, intrigued by Carey's past.   
Leo was about to speak, but Carey beat him to it. "Cassandra was put on trial for witchcraft. We were betrayed by someone close to us… I couldn't… couldn't let my wife die." His eyes started to glaze over, blinking as flashes of his past life appeared before him like a moving picture.  
"Carey…" Annie was worried, taking in his fogged expression.  
"So… I confessed to being the witch, not her. Told them that Cassandra was as mortal as our daughter was. She protested against it, but I wanted our little girl to grow up with her mother, the true witch. The only person who could teach her about her heritage, and to use her powers for good. With this simple trick I learned from another witch, I was able to fool everyone… I was hung. Protecting the women that I loved."  
All the women in the room felt tears start to form in their eyes. What can they say… they were suckers for a tragic story like Carey's.   
Carey met eyes with Leo, "Leo…" he wanted to know something. Wanted to know if his sacrifice was all worthwhile.   
Yet again, Leo had to deliver news that would end up breaking hearts. "The people in your town respected your wishes to leave your wife and child alone… but when they had caught your wife gathering up herbs for spell, a majority of the townsfolk demanded a hanging."  
Carey grabbed hold of the couch, gripping it in shock and despair. He closed his eyes and his head hung in sadness.  
Clu jumped up from his seat and went to comfort his brother.  
"Your father protected your daughter from witnessing the death of both her parents, Carey. He also raised her, and tried to help her keep in touch of her religious heritage. She grew up to be quite a young witch… and she never truly forgot about her mother's love for you, and her father's   
sacrifice." Leo assured Carey.   
Carey finally raised his head, a new light shining in his eyes. He gazed down at young Fiona, courage on his face. "For Cassandra, my daughter, and you, Fi, I won't let anyone or anything hurt you."  
"Thank you, Carey." She got up, and enveloped Carey in a grateful hug.   
Clu patted his brother on the back, "I had a feeling that you'd make a great family man someday, big brother. If you can be a terrific father in the past, you'd make an awesome one in the future."   
Carey reached over to mess with Clu's short hair, "Thanks, bro." He then met eyes with Leo, "So, Leo." Placing a brotherly arm around his sibling, "It's Clu's turn. What makes him so special?"  
Leo crossed his arms, smiling at the younger Bell. "Well…"  
"Uh-oh." Clu sighed, "I don't like that look."  
"Seven years ago… Hope Springs, Colorado… a blood pact between best friends…"  
Those words rang in Clu's memory. He gazed down at Fi, who also remembered that day's event. Jack caught that exchange, as did Annie and Carey.   
"What happened seven years ago?" Jimmy asked.  
Clu decided to tell his story. "Fi was feeling pretty low, and Carey, Jack, and I were trying to cheer her up. See, this frog that she found in her yard had—pardon the pun—croaked."  
All the girls groaned at the pun, while the guys snickered.  
"See, Fi saved this frog before. She had a feeling that it was going to die, due to it's injuries… but it survived."  
"Well how did it die?" Annie asked.  
"Got ate by the neighbor's cat." Jack answered.  
"Anyway," Clu began again, "Jack and Carey kinda got fed up with Fi… but I couldn't leave Fi all sad like she was. Eventually we started talking about death and then we found ourselves making a promise."  
Fi smiled fondly of that day, "Yeah. Clu promised me that he would always be there for me. That no matter what happens, we'll always be there for each other."  
"You two made a pact… in blood."  
"Wait a minute, Leo." Kiara spoke up. She looked at the two in complete amazement, then she stared back at Leo. "Those two… Leo… is does this mean that there's a possibility that Clu might have powers?   
Powers like Jack and Fi?"  
"He does have the Celtic blood running through him…"  
"Leo," Kiara sighed, "It's a simple question with a simple yes or no answer."  
"Maybe."  
"Maybe?!" Kiara, Fi, Annie, Prue, Jack, and Clu responded.  
"I can guarantee that Clu and Fiona are in tune with one another. And that there is a slight chance that Clu is capable of magickal powers like Fi's. Though not as strong and powerful."  
Clu looked down at his hands, a smile appearing on his face. "You mean that I can be able to zap things with my hands… or, like, use my mind to make things move? Like Prue can?"  
"It all depends on the type of powers Fiona has. You may have gained at least three to ten percentage of her prowess."  
"This is awesome!" He grinned at his girl, who returned the smile.   
"Can you believe this Fi? We have powers!"  
Fi took his hand, "Yeah, I believe it."  
Clu took Fiona's hands, kissing it tenderly. Looking into her eyes, "You are the coolest girlfriend in the world, Fi. And the greatest friend ever."   
He reached down and kissed her on the forehead, whispering "I love you."  
Fiona returned the kiss, smiling, and echoing those three sacred words.   
Jack watched the two together, feeling that sudden urge again to punch Clu right in the gut. His fist clenched open and shut, catching Prue's eyes.   
She gently placed her hands on his, smiling a knowing grin. Whispering to him, "I used to feel that way too at first whenever I saw Leo and Piper together. Believe me, Jack, you'll get used to it."  
Jack nodded, beaming warmly at Prue. He grasped her hands, "Thanks, Prue."  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
MEANWHILE… AT THE POLICE STATION  
"This is weird…" Michael Hunt looked over the computer screen at his office. The young officer glanced up, noticing Detective Morris.  
"Hey Daryl! Can you come over here for a sec?"   
"What's up, Hunt?" He walked over, seeing the young man peering intently at the computer.  
"Check this out. I've been going over some of the last days' police reports on file…" He pointed to one report. "This one was reported four days ago. Miles and Davis called it in. Neighbors were complaining about a noise at this old place that they call the old Robert's House."  
"So?" Daryl asked, looking at the report himself.   
"Daryl, they found nothing in that house that looked at all suspicious. They just wrote down that it was an old house that probably needs a new foundation."  
"Hunt, is there a point?"   
"Two days ago, another call was made involving noises at the Robert's House. Only this time Andrews and Lowe were the ones called to check it out."  
"And let me guess, they found nothing as well."  
"Yeah… but, they also had a witness that said she saw something inside the house making that noise." Michael pushed a couple of keys and a new report was shown on screen. Pointing to the screen, "See, the witness, who was also living in the house next door, claimed that she saw shadows moving around in the establishment."  
Daryl immediately felt that old feeling of paranormal vibe… which only brought one name to mind—Halliwell. He straightened up and was about to leave to call the girls when Michael started talking again.  
"That's not even the weird part, Daryl."  
"Does it get any weirder, Hunt?"  
Michael turned around in his chair, facing Daryl. "I had just talked to Lowe a few minutes ago. He and Andrews had gotten a call from the mother of the witness. Turns out the girl had locked herself in her room for two days straight. The mom thought that her daughter probably needed some rest for a day, but when she didn't come out of her room on the second day, her mother became worried. They arrived, talked to the mother, and went to open her door. When they opened it…" Michael turned back to his computer, typing in a few keys. When a recent police report turned up on screen, he indicated something to Daryl.   
Daryl looked at it, taken aback from what was written on the account.   
"This girl had lapsed into a coma? In her own bed?"  
"Yeah. At first her mom thought she was dead, but when she was taken to the hospital, the doctors said the girl was still alive, but barely. She had fallen into a coma while she was sleeping." Michael clicked on the screen, bringing up a second page. "Oh, and get this. The old Robert's House that was abandoned? When Lowe and Andrews drove by just before they took the girl to the hospital, they saw that some new people were moving in."  
"Please tell me that they seemed like ordinary folks. You know, the traditional all American type of family folks."  
"More like the Munsters than the Brady Bunch, Daryl." Michael closed some of the programs, then turned back to face the fellow officer. "So, do you want me to look in on this, Morris? I think that there's more to the Robert's House than meets the eye. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if a witch-voodoo type cult had just moved in to that house."  
"You don't actually believe that, do you?" Daryl asked, yet secretly concerned and anxious to get a hold of Prue and her sisters.  
"I have a part time job babysitting my sister. The child watches the X-Files and Roswell. She also loves that ridiculous Blair Witch movie… do I actually look like the type to believe in all that?"  
Michael got up from his desk, grabbing his gear. He looked up at Daryl, startled by the look Morris was giving him. "What? What is it?"  
Daryl shook his head, then gave Michael a half smile. "I wonder if I had sounded just like you before I saw all the things I've seen."  
He raised an eyebrow at Daryl. "What have you seen, Morris?"  
Daryl stared straight into Michael's eyes. "Things. Things that could make one believe in anything."  
"That could be a dangerous thing, Daryl."  
"Yes it could, Hunt." He turned around, leaving to his office to call the Charmed Ones, but not before murmuring out loud, "Indeed it could."  
  
  
  



	5. There's no going back

PART V  
"Yes mom…" Jack had a tight smile on his face. He hated to lie to his mom, but how else could he explain this situation to her? Oh yeah, mom, the reason why Fi and I can't come back to the hotel is because we have to practice out powers so that we can protect Fiona from these evil forces out to get her. He sighed to himself, *Yeah, like she would believe that.*  
"I know, mom. But Fiona has her heart set on watching the movie marathon going on at the college auditorium. Besides promising to spend some extra time with her, I also said I'd attend the film festivities with her, Clu, Carey, and Annie. Now, I can't let my baby sister down now can I?"  
"Boy," Prue whispered to Fiona. "Your brother is quite the actor."  
"Only on the phone." Fi replied back, her volume level as low. "But once you look him straight in the eye while he's lying… it's crash and burn."  
"Okay," Jack's face lit up. He turned to Fi, still on the phone with their mother. "Alright, mom. I'll tell her," To his sister, "Mom wants to talk to you, sis."  
Once he handed the phone to Fiona, his relaxed facade dropped. He and Prue watched as Fiona calmly take command of the fib with ease.  
"I hate keeping things from our mom." He said to Prue pensively. Prue smiled at him sympathetically. Jack walked away as Fiona continued to talk to their mom.  
Prue followed Jack, worried about him again. She placed a sisterly arm around him, trying to cheer him up.  
Annie, Kiara, Phoebe, and Declan watched Prue as she lead Jack to the side for a private talk.   
"Wow, your sister has taken quite a shine to Jack." Annie commentated.  
"Well, she's always had to be big sister to us little sisters," Phoebe said, "But I had a feeling that she had also wanted to play big sister to a little brother. Jack would have been the perfect person to fill that role."  
"I know that Jack loves being Fi's older brother. He loves her to death… but just like Prue would have loved a little brother, I know that Jack would have loved to have an older sibling to look out for him."  
"I'm guessing that having quote-unquote older brothers like Clu and Carey isn't the same as having an older sister like Prue. Especially since Prue is just as level headed as I'm sure Jack is." Kiara added.  
"Oh, Jack is as level headed as they come… and you're right, Kiara. Jack and Fi complement each other because he's… well, he's Scully and she's Mulder. But sometimes, Jack needs someone who could also think like him to actually understand him." Annie replied.  
"You know what?" Phoebe asked, a smile on her face.  
"No, what, Phoebe Halliwell?" Declan responded, an equally charming smile on his face.  
"Piper and I would be glad to loan Prue on out to Jack."  
"Aww, that's sweet, Phoebe."   
"Sweet nothing, Declan." Kiara smirked. "If only you knew the two sides to Prue Halliwell. Then you'll see just how 'glad' the two younger siblings are to loan her out."  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Hey, Carey. You okay?" Jimmy joined Carey, who was outside on the Halliwell porch, gazing at the rising moon.   
He hadn't noticed just how much time went by when they were inside. This whole protecting Fi from evil spirits business was way to… well, the appropriate word would be "weird." Before they could get into too much details, everyone noted on how late the day was. So while Jack and Fi volunteered to explain to the folks on the phone on why they couldn't return to the hotel anytime soon, Carey decided to reflect on the things he has learned in the solitude of the rising night skies.   
"Carey?" Jimmy waved his hand in front of Carey, "Hello?"  
The young man blinked, then noticed Jimmy waving his hand. "What?… Oh, sorry, Jimmy. I kind of—"  
"Zoned out there." He said, completing his sentence.  
Carey laughed, "Yeah."  
Jimmy glanced behind him, at the Halliwell manor. He sighed, shaking his head in disbelief. "Totally unbelievable, isn't it?"  
"I'll say."  
"But hey, I've seen and witnessed even weirder stuff."  
"Gotta agree on that statement as well." Carey nodded.  
A grin appeared on Jimmy's face, "Your brother is quite fond of Fiona, isn't he?"  
"The knucklehead loves her, what can I say?" The eldest Bell brother replied. "He would do anything for her."  
"She's special, isn't she? I mean, this Fiona Phillips could very well touch other people in a way that only so few can."   
Carey nodded at that, then gazed over at Jimmy. He had a smirk on his face as he responded with, "Very deep, Olsen. Are you always this wise in with your words?"  
Jimmy laughed, then held up his camera that he always, if not out of habit, wore around his neck. "Nope… just with a camera. I got my wit and intelligence from my friends back home."  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Fiona sat on the bottom steps of the Halliwell stair case. She laid their cordless phone next to her, placed her head in her hands, and breathed in a deep sigh. The young woman had to admit that what she's seen and heard was all too much. *Do I even have the strength to go on… will I even survive this?* she thought to herself wearily. Even having to give her own mother lame excuses took the fighting spirit out of Fi.   
The sixteen year old remembered a time not so long ago that she used to crave the risks, the adventures, the runarounds. What had happened to that same Fiona Phillips who wanted to know everything there is to know?  
"She's still there, Fi. The same free spirit that makes Fiona Phillips Fiona Phillips is still there."  
Looking up, a smile crept on to her face. "Oh yeah? So where is she?" Fiona asked, her eyes on her loving boyfriend as he sat two steps above her. Clu reached for her, and placed her in his arms, craddling her protectively and lovingly.  
He took right hand, placing it above her heart. "In here. Where she's always been and always will be."  
Fi took his arms and wrapped them around her tight. "If I'm as strong as Leo says… why am I so afraid? I've never been this scared before Clu. You know me, I always wanted something like this. To be so in tune with something as big as the magick and supernatural realm. I knew inside that I'm a part of it… so just when I realize that I am, I'm scared to death. Why?"  
"You may be part witch, Fiona." Clu began, "But you are human…" His eyes were shining mischievously, "At least, I think you are. I mean, as cool as it is to have an alien girlfriend and all…"  
"Shut-up, Bell." She groaned, yet smiling at his attempt to cheer her up.  
"Seriously, it's only natural to be afraid that you might not live up to anyone's high expectations, Fi. That's what's bothering you, huh? Knowing what you are and trying to live up to what everyone expects you to be."  
A silence fell on them as Fiona was slowly taking what Clu said into consideration.   
Clu broke the silence with, "In the end, no matter what, witch or not, everyone loves you and they know that you can never let them down. You've got the strongest spirit on earth, Fi. You'll get through this… and I'll be there for you every step of the way."   
Fi had the biggest grin on her face. "How'd I get myself such a smart boyfriend?"  
"You're just lucky to have snagged someone like me." He smirked, earning himself a harsh elbow to the stomach from Fi.   
He moaned, then came back with, "Okay, more like the other way around."  
"Now that's more like it." She laughed.  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Leo," Piper took her boyfriend aside. She glanced over at Fiona and Clu on the stairs. "How serious is all this? I mean, is Fiona really a target?"  
"Piper, Fiona's father was killed because he knew too much. I mean, he wasn't even born with the Celtic blood, but he was still dangerous to some of the High Powers."  
"She's so young, Leo. Has she even come into her powers? And Jack, what about him? Not to mention that blood-pact detail with Clu…"  
"I know, Pipe. Those three are just the tip of the thorn in their," Indicating towards the heavens, "Side. Which is why we need to help them now. Fiona will live to be just as powerful as the Charmed Ones… unless they succeed in preventing that from happening."  
"And they will succeed."  
Leo and Piper jumped, startled by the new voice. Floating before them was a ball of light. It flew around them, laughing at the two. "So don't even bother to stop them, White lighter and witch."  
"Guys…" Piper called out to the others, her eyes still on the annoying light with the equally annoying accent.  
"Piper?" Fiona and Clu stepped into the living room. They noticed Leo and Piper, wondering what was up. It was then that Fi noticed the glowing light floating in front of them. Her blood boiled at the sight of it, "Bricriu! How'd you get here?"  
The will-o-wisp laughed, "Bricriu?! Do I look like a floating ball of stupidity to you, little duck?"  
Fiona was speechless. Since when does Bricriu's voice sound… feminine? She quickly found her voice when she felt Clu reach for her hand for support. "Don't tell me that you're his sister."  
"Now that's an insult if I've ever heard of one." It responded.  
"Who are you?" Annie asked. The others made their way into the living room area, finding their place as they watched the will-o-wisp fly itself around Fiona.  
"Don't bother, Annie. Once someone knows the true name of a will-o-wisp, that person has control over them. And I doubt that this spirit wants anyone to have control over… her?"  
"For the sake of argument, I'll allow you to believe whatever sex I am."  
"Okay, that's weird." Jimmy commented. "A spirit whose voice sounds like a girl, but could be a guy."  
"That's not what's important right now, Jimmy." Leo said. He stared intently at the glowing spirit. "What do you want?"  
"I just came to warn you all." It snickered. "Only fools would dare to get themselves involve in what is only to be known as Fiona's true destiny."  
"My true destiny? Is it my destiny to die? Just because they're threatened by me, I should give up my life just so that they can breath easier?!" Her eyes were livid, shining with anger.   
Leo felt a chill go down his spine. His eyes averted towards Fiona, noticing that her right hand was opening and closing very dangerously as she became more upset with the spirit. His eyes gazed heavenward… then a small smile appeared on his face. Taking Piper by the shoulders, whispering, "Come on, Piper."  
"Leo?" She was hushed though as he quietly took her aside.  
"You're signing your death wish, little duck. You are declaring a battle that you've already lost." It mocked her, causing Fiona to become more upset.  
"I think you better leave now." She growled, unknowingly raising her right arm.  
"Or what? You'll blink me out of existence? I'm not afraid of you, Fiona Phillips. And you shouldn't be afraid of me."  
"Who said that I was afraid of you?"  
"You should be more fearful of them, Fiona. And after they're done with you… they'll come after those who you hold dear. Great grandmother Fiona, daddy-dearest, Fiona Phillips… why not have a big family reunion? Jack and Molly could join you… and what about the Bells and Miss Thelen?" It snickered.  
Fiona couldn't bear to hear anymore. Electricity traveled through her as she declared, "Enough!!!" Her right hand shot up, a lightning bolt emerging from her palm. It shot out and slammed right into the sneering spirit, sending it to the wall where Leo and Piper had stood before they moved out of the way.  
"Fi?!" Jack rushed by his sister's side, just as stunned as Clu, and everyone else, was. "What did you do?"  
Fiona didn't answer. Her attention still rabid on the ball of annoyance.   
It flickered, a bit dazed by the blast. Finally, it managed to slowly approach Fiona again. "You are asking to be destroyed, aren't you little duck?"  
"You are asking to be zapped again, aren't you?" Fi responded, voice dripping with venom.  
"You've just triggered a countdown, Fiona. Now that you have at least one of your prowess, they will want to kill you as soon as possible."  
"Well tell them that I will wait for them. And mention to them that I will not go quietly."  
It was silent for a while, then sneered to Fiona. "You may fight to the end, but what of your family and friends? Are you willing to grant their death wishes as well?"  
Fury glowed around Fiona. She raised her hand steady on it, about to strike it down again. The young woman was about to do it, when Jack beat her to the punch.  
"Why don't I start with yours?" He held up his arm, a strong bolt blasted at the spirit, sending it back towards the same wall.  
"Whoa, Jack." Prue beamed, totally impressed.  
Jack placed his hands on his sister's shoulders. "You tell them that *we* will be waiting for whatever they have in store."  
"Jack's right. Fiona won't be fighting this battle alone." Clu added, standing by their side.  
It slowly got up again… then flew around the room, meeting the angry stares of everyone around. Sneering at them before disappearing into the night, "Maybe not the battle… but she will not live to win the war…"   
  
  
  



	6. Novania

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Alright, I knew that this might come up. There's a reason as to why I'm spelling "magick" with a k instead of "magic." I've been studying up on Wiccan religion. The word magick is spelt as is because it's their way of distinguishing between the Las Vegas type of "magic" and the other type of supernatural "magick." It's hard for me to really explain, but that's how some of the other wiccan writers spell magick. Plus... it sort of became a habit for me to spell that word that way. Which means I have to be careful when I'm doing school reports. So, I hope that clears some things up... if not, email me at sweetwatergal@hotmail.com. Other than that, on with the show!  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
PART VI  
PLACE: Outside the old Robert's House  
He was staking the place out, having this odd feeling that something… well, *weird* was going on inside. Daryl had warned him about planning a stake out outside of the once abandoned Robert's House… but Michael Hunt wasn't used to turning down a hunch. And he had a strange premonition about this place. He reached for his notepad, jotting a few notes.   
"Seven fifty-five PM… nothing out of the ordinary—so far. The establishment, though was once completely empty, is now lit up like a Christmas tree. At least from the inside anyway."  
Michael laid down his pen, sighing as he gazed intently into the old house. "Something's not right here… and I'm going to figure out what it is." He vowed.   
The officer reached for his cup of coffee when something caught his attention. "What the—"   
An odd floating object, somewhat like a big firefly, was circling around the police guarded area. Michael watched as it buzzed around, then zapped right into the house. As soon as that thing was in the place, he noted that the whole building dimmed its lights. It was as if to distract attention from itself… unfortunately, Michael's attention was on it like a teenybopper to an all night dance accompanied by a N Sync member. A grin appeared on his face as he reached for his binoculars, "Bingo."  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
MEANWHILE…  
"You provoked them, didn't you, spirit?" A figure cloaked in black stood strong in front of the will-o-wisp. His eyes glowed angrily at it, "Didn't they warn you about the dangers of distressing them? Especially the young one?"  
"Ay, they did…"  
"But you just had to, didn't you Novania?" Another form appeared. She was younger in appearance, but just as angered as the other.  
Novania, a lower level spirit like Bricriu, was a raging glow. "I had a job to do."  
"You were sent to be a spy, Novania. When a spy goes behind the lines, they do not taunt the enemy. Whatever they did to you, it was well deserved for your stupidity." The young one hissed at the spirit.  
"It is a good thing they do not know your true name, like we do." The man commented, calming down a bit.  
"For you it is…" They heard Novania mutter.  
"Such a wicked tongue, spirit. That will be the ultimate cause of your demise."  
"Novania," The man began. "We will not tolerate such sass. Just be glad that the only reason you were spared from eternal captivity is because you were actually needed."   
"For that I am grateful." Novania replied.  
"So consider this, Novania. If you still wish to remain free from infinite damnation, you will guard your words and take orders like a good spirit. Do you understand our words?" The woman spoke, daring Novania to speak one word of sarcasm.  
"I understand."  
"Good," She smiled wickedly. Crossing her arms, "Now, you must rest up. Tomorrow, we want you to keep a cautious eye on the Phillips child."  
"Which one? They both are strong and natural with their abilities."  
"You know which one, Novania."  
"While the young man may possess the same prowess within him, it is the girl that is most feared. She is the one whose life must be forever silenced." The cloaked man spoke.  
"So as soon as the dawn rises, leave for your duty. And try to keep your sharp tongue at bay, Novania. Wouldn't want to end up like your old pal Bricriu, now do you?" She mocked the spirit, causing Novania to blink rapidly.  
"You are excused, spirit." The man commanded.  
Quickly as she appeared, Novania vanished into the night once more. The two figures gazed at each other, planning their next move.  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
BACK AT THE HALLIWELL MANOR  
KITCHEN AREA  
He studied his hand, still a bit perplexed by what had happened a few minutes ago. Had he really formed a lightning bolt within his own palm? As ludicrous as it sounds… Jack still felt the after numbness and tingle of electricity being shot through in and out of the body. Gently, he placed a bag of ice into his hand.  
"It's a lot to swallow, isn't it?"  
Jack looked up, meeting eyes with Prue. He shook his head, a small smile on his face. "Tell me about it."  
"You're a good brother, Jack. What just happened moments ago…"  
"Totally unbelievable." He sighed.  
"Fi's completely ecstatic that you took control like that. She was as proud of you as I was. Maybe more so."  
"Well, whatever that thing was… he or she was really starting to get on my nerves. I just had to shut it up."  
"If you hadn't, I would have." Prue smiled.  
Leo orbed into the scene, "Hey." He beamed at Jack, "So, how's your hand feeling?"  
"I think it'll be all right."  
"Well, everyone is waiting for you guys. I think we should end this meeting soon, and plan for another. Just have to say a few last words before everyone departs." Leo informed them. They nodded, Jack slowly rising from the kitchen table. The white lighter orbed out, while Prue waited patiently for Jack.   
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
HALLIWELL MANOR… LIVING ROOM AREA  
"My hand is fine, Clu." Fiona nudged her boyfriend's hands away, "It's starting to feel claustrophobic… if that's even possible for individual body parts to experience all on its own."  
"Can't a boyfriend play doctor and aide his one and only?" He asked on his defense. "Besides, anything is possible."  
"Honey, you just killed your own defense with that last statement." Fiona pointed out.  
Clu was quiet for a moment, taking what was said into consideration. Once realization hit him, he smacked himself on the forehead. "Oh, right! Duh!"  
Everyone in the room laughed at Clu's and Fi's interaction.  
Jack and Prue entered the room, wondering what was up with the laughter.  
"Okay, what's going on?" Jack asked.  
"Nothing, dude." Clu responded, refusing to talk about the exchange any further. His eyes found their way onto Jack's hand. "So, how's your hand?"  
"It's fine, Clu. Thanks for asking." He looked at Leo, "Okay, Leo. Let's wrap tonight up. Maybe tomorrow, things might seem a bit clearer."  
"Leo," Declan began. "Is what that-that thing said was true? Don't get me wrong, I'm with you guys all the way… but for the sake of satisfying my curiosity, how dangerous is all this?"  
Leo was about to speak, when once again he was summoned to return. He glanced at Piper, giving her the look. To the others, "I'm sorry, guys. They're calling me. I have to go."  
"What?!" Fiona exclaimed.  
"I'm sorry, Fi. But don't worry. They probably want to tell me more information on all this."  
Fiona sighed, "Okay. But can you hurry? I mean, I know I probably have nothing to worry about… but…"  
Leo walked over to her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "It's going to be okay. Look around you, Fi. You have a lot more guardian angels than you've ever imagined having." With that final thought, Leo orbed away.  
A brief silence fell upon the group, with Piper breaking it. "I guess that's it for tonight."  
"So what do we do until Leo gets back with new information?" Carey asked.  
Jimmy looked around the room, at all the weary, concerned faces. "Well, I think that we all need a good night's rest. As Jack said, tomorrow we might have a more clearer view on things. So now the question is, when is the next time we all meet?"  
"Well, tomorrow morning is out of the question for us." Phoebe said, referring to Kiara, Declan, and herself. "Declan has to give a lecture, and both Kiara and I have morning classes to attend."  
Prue met eyes with Jimmy. "Jimmy and I have an assignment that's due for our magazine editor. So, I guess it goes the same for us."  
Piper smiled warmly at the others. "Well, I know that your mom, Fi, has to rehearse tomorrow at P3. Unless you guys have plans of your own, I can help you, Fi, Jack, and Clu, with your powers. I can get one of my managers to watch over the club for me."  
"That sounds great," Fi replied. She looked over at her friends, then back at Piper. "If it's alright, can we call you tomorrow? To let you know our plans?"  
"It's alright with me, Fiona. Call me anytime tomorrow."  
"We might have to meet later on in the week," Prue said. To Fiona, "Uh… how long are you guys staying in San Francisco?"  
Carey answered for Fiona, "All I know is that the tour will be here in California for at least two weeks max. Then we're heading on up to Seattle."  
"What about you, Declan?" Kiara asked. "How long before you head on back?"  
Declan chuckled, "I'm what's known as a free spirit, Kiara. Ask anyone who knows me well enough. I come and go as I please."  
"Sounds like Phoebe and Fiona to a T." Annie smirked, causing all of them to laugh at that statement.  
"Great," Jack sighed, yet with a mischievous grin, "Just what we all need. Three loose canons ready to blow at any given time!"  
"Dude," Clu whispered to Jack, "You are so asking for it."  
Fiona and Phoebe were glaring at Jack, causing him to gulp. "Hey, c'mon. Can't you guys take a good teasing every once in a while?" He slowly stood up as he could still feel their glares boring into him. Jack smiled meekly at Prue, then at the others. "Well, g'night everybody!" With that, Jack dashed out the door.   
Fiona followed, with Phoebe yelling "Save some of him for me later, Fi!"  
The others quickly followed them. Clu was heard muttering that he was more concerned about Jack's safety this time than Fiona's. Carey and Annie were both trying to sustain their laughter. Declan gave Phoebe a sweet and innocent good-bye, while Kiara made Jimmy promise to call her later. Kiara had to help him out the door, making sure that he doesn't faint from her out of nowhere request.  
Piper glanced at her sisters, a small smile on her face. "Well, day one is done. Can't wait for the days to come."  
  
----------------------------------------------------------  
Gonna take a couple more days, but I promise that I will be in work mode extreme on this ff!  
  
  
  
  
  



	7. Behind enemy lines

PART VII  
  
DAY TWO  
  
"What are we doing here, Prue?" Jimmy asked, concerned that Prue had taken a detour from their original destination.  
"Well," She drove a couple of blocks, until reaching a road leading into a certain neighborhood area. "I had gotten a call from a friend of mine's down at the police station. Remember Daryl Morris?"  
"Yeah," Jimmy replied. "He's, like, the only non-magick guy that knows about you and your sisters."  
"That's right." Prue looked up ahead, trying to distinguish the right address. "Anyway, Daryl wanted me to check up on this old house that may or may not be haunted. He says that one of his officers had a bad feeling about it, and decided to take it upon himself to stake out the place."  
"So Morris wants you and your sisters to check it out?"  
"I told Morris that Phoebe and Piper have other important stuff to do, and that I would do it."  
"You would do it? Don't you mean that you *and* your uninformed partner." Jimmy smirked, causing Prue to hit him playfully.  
==================================================================================================================  
MEANWHILE…  
"You did what?!" Michael Hunt exclaimed, then yawned. He had just gone through a fifteen hour stakeout, and wasn't in a mood for games. He glared into the phone, disbelieving what he was hearing.  
"Daryl, I don't need any help, okay? Look, I've just discovered something interesting, and I'm not about to share." He rubbed his eyes, tired as heck. It was then that his eyes strayed into the mirror. "Let me just ask you something, Morris. If you wanted me to have some back-up assistance… why not a fellow officer? Why two magazine photographers?"  
"You think that's him?"   
Prue's gaze found itself on the parked blue car across from the old Robert's house. She steered the car a couple of feet behind it, "I think so."  
Jimmy squirmed in his seat, "Uh, Prue? Maybe this might not be a good idea. You know, it is his stakeout and, well, we're not exactly people of the law."  
"Relax, Olsen. Besides, Daryl gave us the okay, so he can't exactly arrest us for interrupting him at work." Prue parked the car, then turned off the engine. Smiling reassuringly at Jimmy, "Look, just let me do all the talking. We'll be fine, Jimmy. Trust me." After she grabbed her things, and jumped out of the car, Jimmy reluctantly followed.   
He shook his head, grinning. "You know, Prue. Are you by any chance related to someone named Lois Lane? You two definitely have a lot in common."  
Prue smoothed down her outfit, fixing her hair briefly. Standing in front of the tinted window, she knocked on the car door.  
Jimmy adjusted his camera strap, waiting patiently for Prue. His eyes strayed towards the abandoned house, a chill running down his spine. "Creepy." He mumbled to himself.  
"Uh, hello? Officer…"  
The window rolled down, and a familiar face with shades on looked up at Prue. He smiled at her, then slowly removed his sunglasses. "Prue Halliwell, I guess I should say that it's a pleasure to see you again…"  
Prue took a step back, stunned. She blinked, then a giddy smile appeared on her face. "Michael. I… uh, wow. I didn't know…"  
"Prue Halliwell, tongue-tied? That's a first." She heard Jimmy snicker. Prue turned around, sending an icy glare his way.  
"You should leave now, Prue. I'm conducting very important police business and…"  
Prue felt something inside of her snap. Quickly, she changed from the giddy "glad to see the uniformed hottie of her dreams" mode to the more official "gotta get right down to business, going to do her job at any risk" mode.  
"Daryl sent me and my partner, Jimmy Olsen, to do a job, Officer Hunt. And we will not leave until we are completely finished with it."   
"Why he sent you over is beyond logical comprehension, Halliwell."   
"You couldn't even begin to fathom just how reasonable Daryl sending me over truly is." Prue was beginning to get irritated by Michael. She sighed to herself, *Why do I always fall for men that drive me crazy?* To Jimmy, "Come on Jimmy. Let's check out the house."   
Before Jimmy, or Michael, could add a single word in, Prue yanked the young photographer by the arm.  
===============================================================================================  
MEANWHILE AT HALLIWELL MANOR  
"This Book of Shadows is amazing, Piper." Annie flew through the pages, awed by its authentic and spells.  
"Whoa, take cover!"  
Annie looked up and quickly reacted to Clu's warning. She was about to duck down as the a bolt of lightning headed her way… but it froze in place near inches to her. Her heart was racing, her eyes casting itself towards Piper's outstretched hands.  
"Thanks, Piper." Carey hurried over to her side, helping her steady herself.  
"I… I think you better move out of the way." Piper advised.  
Carey and Annie looked at each other, then nodded. "Let's go, Annie."  
As soon as they were away from the frozen object, time shook free and the bolt crashed through the attic window.  
Jack grinned shyly. "Sorry, Annie. I guess I might have to learn how to better control my strength."  
"Dude, you think?" Carey asked, still staring at the broken window.  
Piper smiled to herself. Then to Jack, "Don't worry, Jack. If it will make you feel any better, we had to repair that window several times thanks to Prue." The middle Halliwell's gaze shifted towards Fiona and Clu.   
The young woman was trying her best to use her powers to make the book in Clu's hands float towards her. After several failed attempts, Fiona sighed and fell on her back from mental exhaust.  
Clu beamed wearily at her. "Don't give up, babe. You can do it!"  
"Prue makes it look so easy!" She exclaimed, throwing her hands up.  
"I know you can do it, Fi." He reassured her.  
"Well why don't *you* do it, then?" She said, half annoyed, half serious.  
His eyes were on her, then he looked down at the book itself. Without even thinking too much of it, he surprised everyone by sending the book into Fiona's hands.  
Fi clutched the book, shocked. She met glowing eyes with him. Clu winced, hoping that he didn't get his girl more upset. "Fi… I—"  
The young woman tossed the novel aside and threw her arms around him. "I am so proud of you, Clu! You do have powers!"  
A smile slowly found itself on his lips as he returned the hug. "I think that one power is more than enough for me, Fi."  
"Guess Leo was right." Piper said. "Congratulations, Clu."  
"Good going, bro." Carey patted his brother on the back.   
========================================================================  
Within the shadows of the attic, unknown to the rest, Novania glowed patiently.   
*That Fiona Phillips is a danger to us all.* Novania jumped from shadow to shadow. *That Clu Bell has her blood running through him… I must inform them about it… he could be more deadly to us than the Phillips' boy.*  
"You just had to come back for more, didn't you… Novania."   
================================================================  
"Leo?!" Piper jumped as she heard her boyfriend's unexpected arrival. She focused on him, but was confused to see that his attention was on something within the shadows of her attic.  
The others watched Leo's interaction with something in the dark. Fiona then gasped as she saw the will-o-wisp from last night emerge out into the day.  
The young lass raised her hand, ready to char the spirit. Jack clenched his fist, preparing to do the same.  
"Novania, I know your true name. So don't even bother to flee." Leo proclaimed, arms crossed, eyes on the spirit.  
"Your name is Novania?" Fiona studied the creature, then smirked. "Seven letters, why am I not surprised?"  
"So you know my name, white lighter. Do I look like I care?" Novania flew around him, not even daring to go near the girl.  
"I know more than your name, Novania. I know that you're not as bad as you perceives to be."  
"You know nothing, white lighter. I am who I am. It is no act."  
"No, it's a shield. It's to protect yourself from everyone discovering that you actually have a heart."   
Novania hissed at him, "Lies… all lies. And you call yourself a heavenly messenger." With that statement, she dashed on out of the area, returning to her masters.  
"How did you find out her true name, Leo?" Annie asked.  
"They told me." He said, referring to his bosses.  
"What you said about Novania," Fi approached Leo, "Was it all true?"  
"She has others who discovered her name. Novania was sentenced to an eternal damnation… but was saved from it, only to give up her freedom to serve those on the other side."  
"No wonder she has an attitude problem the size of Texas." Clu commented.  
Leo walked over towards the Book of Shadows, then began to skim through it.  
"Leo? Honey?" Piper went up to him, placing a comforting hand on his arm. "You okay?"  
"I'm fine, Piper. I'm just looking for something…"  
"What are you looking for?"  
He stopped for a moment, closed his eyes, then sighed. "A loophole."  
"A loophole?"   
The white lighter gazed back up, his eyes focusing on Piper. "They want to give Fiona a major test, Piper. And I'm hoping to find a loophole around it."  
"What?!" Both Piper, Fiona, and Jack exclaimed.  
"Why, Leo?"   
"Because of what it involves. Because of the people that they want involved."  
"Leo, as much as we love you speaking in code, it's not very helpful those that are stressed on time. Especially seeing as we have at least less than a week left in San Francisco." Carey quipped.  
"Fiona has to be put to a test of inner and outer strength, courage, and magick… but they don't want her to physically lift a single finger."  
"Excuse me?" Fiona asked, just as confused as the others.  
Leo raised his eyes towards the heavens, anguished at the thought of delivering the instructions at hand. Normally, he would never have this much difficulty bringing news to the Charmed Ones… or anyone for that matter. Only this was big. Bigger than he himself imagined, especially because of how many lives were involved… and all for the price of one.  
"When Novania had taunt you, Fi, on the danger of bringing so many people in on this, she wasn't kidding. Both sides have decided to test not only you, but everyone else concerned with this matter."  
"Leo, I still don't get it." Fiona glanced at everyone in the room. Something in her eyes revealed that she did know, but it's as if denial was clouding her vision.  
"You know what I'm talking about, Fiona."  
"Then do you think you two can explain it to the rest of us?" Carey asked, growing anxious with each passing second.  
Fiona looked into the eyes of those she's come to care about. As her eyes began to glaze with tears, she said, "In order to get to me, they're going to get to everyone willing to risk everything to protect me. A test of courage, right Leo? They're going to try and 'test' those I love just to prove my worth. And I can't do anything to help them… is that it?"  
"Fiona…" Leo began, but was silenced by her quaking voice.  
"They're going to 'test' the Charmed Ones… Annie… Kiara… Jimmy… Declan… Carey…" She then gazed over at the two most important men in her life. With an edge in her voice, "And I bet that they're going to save Clu and Jack for last… just to make me suffer, huh Leo?"   
Leo tried to get a word in, but realized that the young woman wasn't finished, especially as he saw in her eyes a new thought emerging. She met gaze with Leo, who read hers like a book.  
"My mom," Fear was evident, "Leo, they can't hurt her! They can't do anything to her—I won't let them near her!"  
"Fiona," His voice was calm. He knew in his heart that she would react that way. "I promise you, they won't concern your mother in this."  
Jack chimed in, equally worried. "Leo, knowing what you know, I know for a fact that our mom would kill to protect Fiona. And I bet that they know it too. Can you actually guarantee that they won't harm our mother?"  
"Jack, it's already bad enough that so many are risking their own safety just for your sister. I don't think that they would want to include anyone else."  
"Leo," Clu began, "Myself, Annie, and my family excluded, there are only two people living in this world that mean life itself for Fiona. Those two are Jack and Mrs. P. If anything happens to them—"  
"I know, Clu." Leo approached Fi, trying his best to ease her fears. "Fiona, they gave me their word that Molly will not have any part in this whatsoever. The only way she will be included is if she finds out about your newfound powers, and still is willing to fight for you to keep it and for your life."  
Fiona gulped back a cry of relief. Wiping away her stray tears, vowing to herself, to Jack and their mom, "Then she can't know. She can never find out about this… not until it's safe for her to know the truth."  
===========================================================================  
MEANWHILE… AT P3  
Molly Phillips had the weirdest sensation pass through her. With her eyes searching the club, "Irene?"  
"Yeah, Molly?" Irene Bell emerged, cell phone attached to her hand, but not her ear.  
The singer looked at her friend, then her gaze shifted from the left side to the right, until relaxing on her manager again. "I just had the strangest feeling."  
Smirking, "What? Like you were being watched?"  
Molly feigned a smile and a laugh. "Yeah… maybe."  
"Paranoia over the press? Don't worry about it. Besides, as I always say, good or bad publicity is still publicity."   
Molly tried to laugh at Irene's attempt at making her feel at ease… but she still couldn't shake that odd feeling…  
==========================================================================  
IN DEEP SHADOWS WITHIN THE CORNERS OF THE CLUB  
She chuckled, sustaining the urge to just go straight up and scare the dickens out of the woman.  
"What? Like you were being watched?"  
*Right on target, as always, Madam Bell…*  
"Yeah… maybe."  
*No maybes about it, dear widow of the late Rick Phillips.*  
"Paranoia over the press? Don't worry about it. Besides, as I always say, good or bad publicity is still publicity."  
*The press?!? Do I look like a freakin' bloodhound?!*  
"C'mon, Molly. Let's at least get you working on some of your new songs… now where is that son of mine's?"  
*He's with that wicked, wicked child of yours, Molly Phillips!*  
"Who? Carey or Clu?"  
"Both! Especially the one who is your guitarist!"  
"I gave him a day off."  
"Excuse me?!"  
*Oh… this is gettin' boring! I am so outta here…* The spirit shimmered away, hoping to return to her post back at the Halliwells. Even wishing that she wouldn't get caught this time around.  
  
============================================================================   
PART VIII  
  
Jimmy Olsen gazed up and around the establishment. He cast a glance at his partner, admiring, regretting, and fearing her courage.  
"Should have realized that if there's a world with a Superman, witches, spirits, and magick, there would actually be a real life Addams family living somewhere in this great reality of ours." He joked out loud, hoping to ease the growing tension.  
"Jimmy!" Prue Halliwell hissed, slapping his arm. She looked all around, from the door frame to the windows. "I think no one's ho—"  
"Hello!"  
The two photographers jumped as the door swung open, revealing a young child with big onyx eyes. She stared up at them, looking extremely small and fragile.  
"Uh… hi!" Jimmy spoke first. He regained composure as his sights set upon the little girl who looked nothing over the age of five.  
"Hello." Prue smiled at her, holding out her hand. "My name's Prue. What's your name, little girl?"  
"Angel." The girl said simply, taking Prue's hand.  
"Angel," Prue repeated. She released her light hold on the girl, then gazed over at Jimmy. Jimmy practically gave her the same look. Angel? What a name for a child living in a place that resembles nothing like the holy establishment in the sky. Smiling at the child again, "Well, Angel. This young man over here is my friend, Jimmy. And Jimmy and I were wondering if your mommy and daddy are home, and if we can talk to them."  
Angel beamed brightly at them, her eyes full of innocence and youth. Prue and Jimmy had the strangest feeling about her, deciding to keep their guard up even around her. Prue especially felt that they shouldn't fall for this young girl's purity… particularly after a couple demon children incidents in the past.  
"My mommy and daddy aren't home right now."  
"Then who's watching you?" Jimmy asked.   
"Novania."  
"Novania?" Both photographers replied, looking at each other then at Angel.  
"Yes… auntie Novania." The girl answered nonchalantly.  
"May we talk to your… aunt Novania?" Prue asked politely, becoming both intrigued and irritated at the same time.  
"Uh-uh." She shook her head.  
"Why not?"  
"Because she just left."  
"Your aunt Novania left…" Jimmy said, trying to make sense of all this.  
"Uh-huh."  
"So, who's watching you now, Angel?"  
Angel grinned, her hand on the doorknob. "Nice meeting you. I hafta go now…"  
"But—"  
"Bye!"  
Jimmy attempted to place his foot in the doorway, but the child was way too fast for him. He sighed, then gazed over at Prue. He raised an eyebrow, "Prue?"  
Prue was just staring at the door in shock, her hand raised in mid-air as if she wanted to reopen it using her powers.  
"Prue?"  
"I-I-I couldn't, Jimmy."  
"Your powers?"  
"Yes!" She turned to him, her face still frozen in shock and tempting to verge on being pissed off. "They… they must have some sort of—spell! A spell or something on this house!" Prue thought it over, then added, "Or that child! She must be the offspring of some sort of demon… warlock… witch thing union!" She paced around the front porch, trying to figure it out.  
"Prue…" Jimmy watched her, forcing down the urge to chuckle as she went off on some weird rant.  
"We," she poked him with her forefinger, "We are going back to the house! And we are going to figure out what is going on with *this* place! I have a weird feeling that it's connected somehow to Fiona."  
As she bounded down the stairs, Jimmy held his arms out, crying "We?!" He sighed, then followed, murmuring, if at least to, himself. "Prue, we have got to work on this 'we' thing you're fixated on."  
===========================================================================  
MEANWHILE…  
"I'm coming! I'm coming!" Piper made her way downstairs and towards the door. Opening it, she beamed up at the person. "Hey, Daryl!"  
"Hello, Piper." He entered the Halliwell household, glancing around. "Uh, is Prue around?"  
"Nope, sorry Morris. Prue's gone off to work." She suddenly eyed him, "Why?"  
He was silent for a moment, then tried to wave it off. "Oh, it's probably nothing. One of the other officers can handle it instead—" Daryl turned around, about to exit…  
"Freeze, buster." She threatened, "And don't make me turn that phrase into a literal one."  
He sighed, turned, smiling wearily at her. "Piper…"  
"Don't Piper me, Morris. What gives?" She placed her hands sternly on her hips, waiting for his answer.  
"Piper…" Daryl was about to speak—when his cell phone began to ring. He smiled sheepishly at Piper, who only rolled her eyes.  
"I have to get that, Piper. It might be urgent."  
"Uh-huh." She responded dryly.  
"Morris." He said into his phone.   
Piper shook her head, then walked over to sit on the stoop of the stairwell. She watched as Daryl took his phone call into the living room. While she was waiting for him, Leo orbed on right next to her.  
"What are you doing, Piper?"  
"Waiting patiently for Morris to finish his call in the next room."  
"Daryl's here?"  
"Yep… but he's here for Prue."  
"So why didn't you tell him that Prue wasn't home?"  
"I did, but then I got the feeling that he needed to see my sister about something very important. And when I mean 'something,' I mean the type of supernatural something that we are all used to."  
"Is it just me, or is the word 'feeling' being way used way too often these days?"  
"A couple of words are in an extreme repetitive mode these days, hon."  
"Piper?" Daryl emerged from the room, cell phone in hand. "I have to go."  
"Wait a minute, Daryl—"   
"I'm sorry, Piper." He made his way to the door, "But I really have to leave. Tell Prue that I came over, okay?"  
"Oh, I'll talk to my sister alright." She murmured, but was then ribbed by Leo. She smiled, "Sure, Daryl. I'll tell her."  
As soon as Daryl left, Piper glared up at Leo. "What was that for?"  
"We need to talk." He pulled her into the other room.  
"Well, if that's all you wanted, you didn't have to poke me in my rib cage." She commentated as she followed him.  
==========================================================================  
AN HOUR (OR SO) LATER  
Jimmy watched his partner, a bit amused by her incensed behavior.  
"Can we say 'obsessed'?" He joked, hoping to get a smile out of her, but only receiving a menacing glare.  
Prue stormed up the steps to her house, as Jimmy slowly followed. She swished her hand, causing the front door to swing open.   
"Watch out, Hurricane Prue's on the war path!" Jimmy teasingly cried out.   
"Prue?" Piper and Leo stepped into the hall way, watching Prue bound up the stairs towards the attic. They glanced at Jimmy, who remained behind. "She looks pissed." Piper commented.  
"That's because she is." Jimmy responded. "For a moment, she was unable to use her powers. Her theory is that it was bound somehow by a quote-unquote 'demon child'… or something." He shrugged.  
"A what?!"   
"Whoa." Clu made his way downstairs, his gaze somewhat upstairs. He averted them for a while to glance upon the other three, "I don't think I want to be on the receiving end of your sister's wrath."  
====================================================================================  
IN THE ATTIC  
"Uh, Prue?" Carey attempted to communicate with her, but was silenced by her icy glare. He glanced at Jack, who shrugged. He was smart enough to stay out of Prue's temperament.  
"Prue?"  
"Not now, Carey." She snapped, concentrating on the Book of Shadows. The pages were flying as her eyes scanned for an answer.   
Carey looked at Jack again, who still backed off. "No way, Carey. It would be like sending a huge bass to a bear—a starving bear."  
Prue suddenly stopped and raised her head. She looked around the room, then cried, "Jimmy! Get your butt up here right this minute."  
"Yikes, I'd hate to be Prue's boyfriend when she's like this." Carey whispered to Annie, Jack, and Fi.   
The trio gave Carey this look. He caught that, then smiled sheepishly. "I know, I know… this coming from the guy would die a happy man if he even received a single kiss from the woman herself."  
"Prue?" Jimmy entered the attic, followed by Leo, Piper, and Clu. "You bellowed?"  
She was about to make a retort when she spotted her sister and their white lighter. "Oh good, glad you're here Piper, Leo." Prue returned her attention back to the book. "Jimmy and I need your help on something…"  
"There's that involvement of a second party again, Prue. We seriously need to work on that." Jimmy quipped.  
"Jimmy!" She growled.  
He held up his hands defensively, "Sorry." Silently to the others, "Boy, I'd hate to be her boyfriend when she's like this."  
Before Carey could add a thought of his own, Fiona, Annie, Jack, and Clu beat him to it. "He wouldn't." They said simultaneously.  
"It was so weird, Piper." Prue started to explain, all the while looking through the book. "I mean, there was this little girl named Angel and when she closed the door on us, I tried to stop her with my powers… but I wasn't able to."  
"It was a bit strange," Jimmy added.   
"Where were you guys anyway?" Leo asked, hoping to fully understand the whole story.  
"Daryl wanted me to check out this quote-unquote 'haunted house.' When we got there, the place actually looked—freaky."  
"Prue wanted to talk to the current tenants, but then Angel answered the door. She didn't look an age over five. And the weird thing is, when we asked her if we could speak to her parents, she told us that they weren't home… that her auntie Novena was watching her and—"  
"Not Novena, Jimmy." Prue met eyes with Leo and Piper, "It was something like-like…" She was snapping her fingers, trying to recall that name.  
"Well, it starts with an N and ends with an A." He said.  
Fiona felt this coldness travel through her spine. She looked towards her brother, who obviously felt the same chill.   
Leo turned around, feeling the nervous vibe off of Fiona and Jack. The trio met eyes, one single name echoing through them. Turning towards Prue and Jimmy, they proclaimed at the same time, "Novania."  
"That's it!" Both Jimmy and Prue responded. They then gazed at those three with confusion, "How'd you guys know that?"  
  
  
  



	8. THE CHALLENGES: Carey

PART IX-- THE CHALLENGES  
  
CHAPTER ONE: CAREY'S CHALLENGE  
  
WITHIN THE OLD ROBERT'S HOUSE  
"He's already filling the witches and mortals in on the challenge at hand." The man informed his companion. He smiled wickedly at his life mate and partner.   
She beamed at her husband, then focused it on a young sleeping form on her lap. "They will surely fall, my love. And soon, the prize, which is that Fiona Phillip's essence and her powers, will at once belong to our dear daughter."  
"You do realize, darling, that we cannot fail. Making a deal with the Higher Powers does have its advantages and disadvantages."  
"Of course. If we fail, which we won't, we are sentenced back to eternal damnation… but we will capture that child's spirit, my husband." The woman began to stroke her daughter's silky dark hair. "It will be like killing two birds with one stone. They will be rid of the threat that she posses upon them, and we will be the proud parents of the most powerful, most atrocious witch mankind has or will ever know."  
He chuckled, "And there's nothing that the Charmed Ones can do about it, once our Angel receives the Phillip's child's prowess."  
*Once you do capture that wretched girl's powers, you'll free me. Was that not the deal?*   
The woman snapped her head towards that voice. Her dark eyes were blazing as she hissed at the spirit, "Novania! Can't you see that my daughter is asleep?!"  
*Answer me, crone! I must know!*  
She stared daggers at Novania, daring it to speak another word. Suddenly, with the flick of her wrist, a defining fireball emerged and struck the spirit into the wall.   
"Do not speak, Novania, until you are otherwise given permission to. Now I suggest that if you wish to keep up your strength, you leave."  
A flicker of light could be seen climbing the walls, until it disappeared all together.  
The woman sighed, closing her eyes. She then opened them, the eyes dancing wildly in the flaming spirit of her soul. "As soon as we have no other use of her, I want to be rid of that awful creature from the face of this earth."  
"Once this is over, my love, I will see to her demise."  
"So let's get this over with then." A sudden shimmering ball appeared between the unholy couple. The round light glowed as an image came into view. The woman had the most twisted grin on her face. "He will be the first."  
"Wise choice, darling." He applauded, his mind focusing on the innocent, unbeknownst face of Carey Bell…  
================================================================  
Carey stood on the sidelines as everyone present drifted into their own little groups. Clu was with Fi, helping each other out with their newfound abilities. Annie was striking up a friendly conversation with Jimmy, while Jack, Leo, and Piper were filling Prue in on the latest information.   
His focus was on Prue, yet he would find himself gazing on the happy couple that is his brother and Fiona.   
Carey was both proud and envious of Clu. His brother had the love of a special woman, and obviously returned it. And that was the paradox right there. Carey only wanted the best for his little brother, yet he himself wanted what Clu had found and kept within hearts reach.  
The young man closed his eyes, sitting himself down in the corner of the attic. His whole entire mind, body, heart, and soul began to slow down on him.   
He was so tired… but why? Maybe it's due to the excitement of what's been happening lately… no, that can't be it. Fi and Annie have dragged him through worst situations before.  
Why was he even questioning it? Why even fight it? Carey was just plain tired, and there was nothing abnormal about feeling drained out and wanting to rest up a bit. Besides, he could wake himself up at anytime. "Just shut-up and relax, Carey." He told himself, before shutting down his whole entire system.  
====================================================================  
Annie's gaze flickered onto Carey. Her heart melted as she saw him fast asleep on the attic floor. She nudged Jimmy, indicating the ever sleepy Carey Bell.  
"Aww," Jimmy cooed jokingly. He smirked, "Look at our little Carey, all tuckered out."  
"Jimmy," Annie slapped him playfully, even though she couldn't helping laughing herself. "He's adorable, curled up like a ball."  
"Hey guys," He called the others, "Check out Carey over there."  
Everyone glanced at Carey. They all attempted to hold back a laugh, especially Jack and Clu.  
"If he's tired," Piper said, "I think we should wake him up and let him rest on something more comfortable."  
"I'll do it." Offered Clu as he walked over towards his brother.   
"Why don't I do it, hon." Fiona suggested. "Carey won't even dare to attempt killing me if I tried to wake him, but you on the other hand…"  
Clu smirked, "Funny, Fi. That's right, unlike you, I'm replaceable."  
"Yeah," Fiona teased right back, "But it takes time to break in a boyfriend… and you know I'm not that patient, Clu."  
He kneeled down besides Carey, and began to shake him. "Rise and shine, sleeping beauty. C'mon now, wake up sunshine." Clu turned his brother over on his back, still shaking him. "C'mon, Carey, wake up."  
As they watched Clu try to wake up his brother, Fiona, Jack, and Leo felt something unsettling in the pit of their stomachs. Leo gazed up, receiving information from above. His face went through various emotions. From realization to shock to urgency to determination. He quickly made his way to Carey's side, much to the confusion of the others.   
"Carey!" Leo also began to shake him out of slumber. "Carey, wake up! C'mon, Carey—wake up!"  
"Leo? What's going on?" Piper went to his side, as did the others.  
His eyes laid on Fiona, as if talking to her only. "He's the first one to be tested."  
"What?!?" Clu and Fiona exclaimed out loud.   
"Oh my gosh! Carey!" Annie placed her hand over her mouth in shock, while the other pointed at his very still, very pale form.   
"Look at him," Jimmy spoke up, his own voice mirroring Annie's reaction. "It's as if his soul is draining away from his body."  
"Leo, you have to do something!" Fiona felt this unexplainable terror as she watched Carey's life slip away. This can't happen to Carey. He means so much to everyone. Fiona needed him, for who else can she also pick on if not Jack? She loved Carey as much as Clu did… Fi met eyes with Clu, and her heart went out to him. Clu can't lose his big brother. He just can't lose the one being in this world that can protect him like Carey can.  
"You're a white lighter, Leo. You can heal him." Prue said, but was let down when Leo shook his head.  
"I can't, Prue. He's already near death… I just can't."   
"But you can try!" Both Clu and Prue proclaimed.  
"Please, Leo!" Fiona begged, "We can't lose Carey."  
"But it's not my fight, Fiona." He said to her. His gaze returned to Carey, "It's his… and yours."  
"I don't understand, Leo." Fi tried to fight back her tears. Her hands were shaking, "And even if I did, I wouldn't know what to do! I mean, what can I do?! You said it yourself, if I lift at least one of my magick fingers, the game is over and I lose! We lose!" She jumped to her feet, allowing them to take her to the opposite side of the room. Fi felt herself breaking down when she knew in her heart that she shouldn't.  
Fi closed her eyes, trying to regain composure. What can she do? What can't she do? How can she help Carey—yet not help him?  
It was then that she felt a pair of safe and comforting arms surrounding her petite body. She knew who it was, and was only saddened by his embrace instead of blessed by it.  
"I want to help him, Clu. But I don't know what to do."  
Holding her tight, "Leo said that one of the rules is that you cannot use your powers in anyway."  
"So what's left, Clu?"  
"Faith." He said simply. "That's how you can help him—and all of us when we finally face our battle in this war." Clu turned her around, making sure that she was facing him. He looked into her eyes, "Just have faith that Carey will make it out on his own. That's how you can help. Believe in him… and in yourself."  
"Clu's right, Fiona." Jack spoke up. His eyes were warm and brave. "You have so much faith, and it's that inner strength that makes you so strong."  
"I do believe in him… but I'm afraid that I'll fail him!"  
"Fiona," Leo got up and made his way to her. "You won't fail. You won't fail him, or anyone of us, because you care too much about us to give up. Don't doubt yourself, Fiona. I know you're stronger than that."  
Fi's eyes found themselves on Carey. Her heart was breaking at the sight of him. They were right. The only way she could help Carey is to just be there for him. To let his spirit know that she will be by his side through the best and the worst. With courage in her soul, she came to his side, gently taking his pale hands into hers.   
"Please, Carey. Make it back to us safely. We believe in you… and we're all waiting for your safe return." She whispered to him, placing a kind kiss on his forehead.  
====================================================================  
*Carey…*  
A heavy mist formed. His eyes had to adjust to the dark and to the light surrounding him.  
*Carey…*  
That voice. Why does it sound so familiar?  
*Father? Father, can you hear me?*  
Father? Who was that calling out to him, and calling him "father"?   
It was then that the mist cleared a path for her to emerge from the darkness. Carey was blown away from the sight of her. "Cassandra?"   
This was a dream! It had to be…   
The woman in red opened her arms out to him, *My husband! For years I've waited for us to be reunited.*  
Carey pinched himself, then winced as he felt it. He looked at her, then at his own hands and appearance. "It has to be a dream!" He proclaimed aloud. "Either that… or I'm dead!"  
*Does it matter, my love?* She made her way to him, her loving arms around him.   
He looked into her own mirrors to the soul, wanting to see how real this—well, whatever this fantasy thing—was. As he stared into them, he found himself drowning and falling into a very comforting familiar emotion.  
"It is you." Carey said at last, both in awe and confused happiness.   
*You did not remember me?* She teased, her presence intoxicating him.  
"I did… but," He couldn't find the words to describe how he suddenly felt. Everything about her felt so… so right, yet so wrong. "Is this heaven? Am I dead?"  
*My dear Carey,* Cassandra giggled, *What matters is that you are here and that you're finally reunited with your family.* She turned towards the darkness, calling out a single name that brought surprising joy into Carey's heart. *Abigail? Abigail, sweetheart, your father's here.*  
"Abigail…" Carey sighed, his eyes witnessing the appearance of a younger version of himself and Cassandra. She had her mother's eyes, but her father's light sun-kissed hair. This Abigail, who looked barely over seven years old, had the maturity of a young woman. When she appeared from the mist, Carey was instantly mesmerized. He released himself from Cassandra, and ran to swoop the child into his arms.  
*Daddy!* She giggled, as Carey held her tight.  
"My Abigail! How could I have forgotten you?" He looked into her eyes, falling back in love with the daughter he left so long ago. "Please forgive me, Abigail. I had no idea…"  
*All is forgiven, father.* She said simply. *As long as you promise to never leave me and mother again.*  
Cassandra joined them, placing her arms around her husband. *Please, Carey. Stay with us. We missed you so much.*  
Carey looked at his Cassandra and Abigail, remembering the lives they were supposed to live, yet was unable to. If he stayed, he could live his life with the two most important women in the world to him.  
The mist swirled around them, yet they were not affected by it. All Carey felt was warmth and lost love now found. He had gotten back the life that he had wanted so long ago, and still wanted in his present life…  
His eyes blinked back the sudden images in his brain. Images of a family. A mother and father. A younger brother who annoyed him, yet loved him dearly. An extended family with another mother, two younger sisters, and younger brother. Especially a young woman with a heart of gold, and a spunk like no other.  
*Carey? Darling, what's wrong?*  
*Daddy? Are you okay?*  
He shook his head, feeling extremely dizzy. He had to sit down, and he did so. Carey had set Abigail down, then found the floor himself. Cassandra and Abigail stayed by his side, eyes worried.   
"Something doesn't feel right?" He finally spoke. The images were flashing through him like a movie. He was playing music, which was his first love besides his family and girls. He was going on weird adventures with either the girl with spunk or the girl with a gift for music, but a heart that was equally as pure. He saw himself comforting his younger brother, and another young man in which he also felt the same connection with.  
"Stop it!" He cried in anguish, holding his head in his hands. The flashes of memories were too quick, too overwhelming for him.  
"Anthony?"  
Carey's head snapped, the pictures vanishing into the night. He looked up, recognizing the voice, and the name that the voice had called out.  
"Anthony, please. You must leave this place!"   
"Cassandra?" Carey, also known in the past life as Anthony, stood up. A light shone from the depths of the dark as a woman of purity emerged. She was everything that Carey could ever ask for an angel… for a wife and mother of his baby Abigail.   
Cassandra, dressed in white, appeared before him. Her raven hair shone as the silver streaks radiated her love for her past husband.  
"Anthony, you must leave. Everything is not what it seems. You may hold the spirit of my Anthony, but you were reborn into a wonderful man named Carey Bell."  
"I don't get it." He approached her, wanting to hold her soft hand once again.  
"I lost my husband, Abigail's father, many lifetimes ago. I see a part of him in you, but I also see Carey Bell." She glared dangerously at the two figures behind him. "They are not who they say they are. Look at them, Carey. You were blinded by desire to gain a love you lost so long ago, but you must see past it. For there is a type of love out there just waiting for you to hold on to it."  
Carey turned around and gasped. He took a step back as he watched "Cassandra" and "Abigail" transform into two ugly, twisted, dark shadows. They attempted to pull him back into the darkness, but he quickly stepped into the light surrounding the real spirit of Cassandra.  
As he did so, one last image shot into his mind. It was of Fiona, only he couldn't remember ever seeing her with such sad yet brave eyes.   
"You are seeing something that you couldn't see for yourself. Looking through another person's eyes, you'll see a young woman who has so much faith in your return home from the dark." Cassandra whispered to him.  
"But what about you? And our daughter?" He asked, not wanting to leave behind his lost love.  
"Carey, to you, we are just a dream. To Anthony, we will wait all eternity for his return, because we believe in his love and in him. Just like your family, and this Fiona, believes in your safe arrival home."  
A newfound courage took control of him. He beamed bravely at Cassandra, "Speaking on Anthony's behalf, he misses you two so very much."  
"We miss him too."  
With that, light engulfed him, and sent the twisted shadows into despair. Carey hold fast as he felt the warm glow around him. The same images began to play, but all were not harmful to him like before. Instead, they brought only peace.  
===================================================================  
"You know, I remember the time when Carey poured glue all over me."   
Everyone in the room stared at Clu as he chuckled fondly at that memory. He looked up, "What?"  
Instead of giving him the usual look, they all smiled.   
"I remember," Jack began, turning this semi-tragic event into a game, "I remember the time when Carey pulled this nasty prank on Clu—"  
"Hey!" He protested, "I already recalled one humiliating memory on myself. You have to tell one that involves you!"  
Fiona laughed softly as she watched her boyfriend's and her brother's interaction. Her hand was still holding Carey's, keeping it warm until he would finally awake from his slumber.  
"What?! Why? All the best Carey events involve the embarrassment of one Clu Bell." Jack snickered. "Isn't that right?" He asked, looking towards Annie and Fiona.  
Just as the girls' were about to respond, someone had beat them to the punch.  
"Darn straight it is…" Carey murmured, his eyes partly closed, but non the less alive and awake.  
"See, what I'd—" Jack stopped in mid-sentence. He stared at Clu, then at Fiona, who had the biggest grin on her face.  
"Carey!!!" Everyone cried out, rushing to his side.  
Carey jumped to his feet before everyone could crash into him. The color had returned to his face, and he looked as if nothing had happened to him. In fact, he actually looked like he awoke from a well deserved nap.  
Clu was the first one to hug Carey. He swooped his big brother into a huge hug, "You're awake! You're alive, bro!"  
Carey returned the gesture, but then cried to him, "Clu? Clu, dude, air!"  
"Oh!" Clu released him, smiling sheepishly. "Sorry, bro. Guess I got carried away."  
"You think?" He asked, on the brink of laughing joyously himself.  
The next person was Annie, who was just as merciful as Clu. "We are never letting you fall asleep in strange places ever again, Carey!" She proclaimed, unable to release him just yet.  
"Annie," Carey hugged her back, then kissed the top of her forehead. "I will hold you to that."  
After Annie, Jack approached Carey. He tentatively held out his hand, "Carey,"  
He took the hand, shaking it, "Jack,"  
Both guys looked at each other, then smiled as they gave each other a brotherly three point five second hug.   
Jack beamed at his "brother." "Glad you're okay, Carey."  
Jimmy and Leo both gave Carey a brotherly hug, each saying how glad they were to see him awake and kicking.  
Piper and Prue each hugged him, and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Prue's kiss however had more of an affect on Carey than Piper's did.  
Lastly, but not least, he turned to Fiona.  
She stood there, just watching him, a smile on her face.   
"Fi…" He began. Carey was about to say more, but Fiona rushed him and enveloped him into the hardest and warmest hug ever given.  
"I'm sorry, Carey." She cried in his arms.  
"What?! What for, Fi?"  
"I almost gave up on you… gave up on my faith that you'd make it… almost gave up on myself as well…"  
"Fiona,"  
"But I knew in my heart that you had to survive." She brushed away her tears, "In my heart, I had to recognize the faith I had in you. Only then could I actually help you."  
"And you did, Fiona." He smiled, "I passed my test with flying colors. I won my battle because of you." He also looked at everyone else, "Because of all of you."  
Fiona reached up to hug him again, this time with no tears of sadness or of joy.   
=====================================================================  
"Oh hell!" She cried, throwing a fireball into the empty hearth.  
"Calm down, darling." The man walked behind her, massaging her tense shoulders.  
"He wasn't suppose to pass! The mortal was supposed to fall into the darkness that I have prepared just for him!"   
"Relax, my love." He suggested. With a free hand, he formed another clear ball of light. "So they have one victory… but the war isn't even half way through. We have many more battles in this cruel war. And we will come out victorious." He promised her.  
She sighed in content as her husband got rid of the knots in her shoulders. Another wicked grin appeared on her face, "So, who is our next target?"  
"Do you feel like killing two birds with one stone?" He asked, an evil smile on his face as two images appeared in the ball…  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	9. THE CHALLENGES: Kiara and Jimmy

PART IX--THE CHALLENGES  
  
CHAPTER TWO-A: KIARA'S and JIMMY'S CHALLENGE  
LATER IN THE DAY  
Her gaze traveled from Protector number one to Protector number two. With a taunting grin, she said, "So this is what the President's daughter must feel like. Okay guys, radio the others and inform them that the coast is clear and that the eagle has landed. Ten-four, over and out!"  
"How Clu can even put up with your sarcasm, Fiona, is way beyond comprehension." Jimmy responded, teasingly.  
"Ditto to that." Kiara agreed.  
Fiona was spending the afternoon with Jimmy and Kiara. Carey, after much insistence on his part against the many protests from the others, was at P3 with Molly. He needed to keep himself busy, and he now had a bountiful amount of energy to spend on the music. Annie then insisted that she follow him, and maybe can practice her songs as well with him. When Kiara arrived at the Halliwell house, she was briefed by Jimmy on what had happened with Carey. Clu and Fiona had planned on spending some down time together, but due to recent events, Fi felt that maybe Clu should hang out with his brother for a while.   
So now here she was, hanging out with her new friends, chilling in a small café. Kiara had promised Fiona a calm magick-free afternoon. She suggested that they do some shopping, which was music to Fi's ears. Kiara also managed to rope Jimmy into following them. She would have gotten Jack as well, but he was saved by Prue.  
"Like Prue really needed Jack to help with her laundry!" She scoffed. "All the witch really needed was one of her fingers and SNAP!" Kiara snapped her fingers. "Clean clothes all nice and tidy."  
"Either Phoebe's spunk is rubbing off on you, or vice-versa." Jimmy smirked, earning him a good whack from Kiara.  
A soothing silence fell upon the trio. Fiona sighed, content with good company and good snack. The calm was disturbed, however, by Jimmy's curiosity.  
"I wonder who's next?"  
"What?" Both girls asked.  
He eyed Fiona, "Fi, I know that you might not want to talk about it, but aren't you the least bit curious on who's going to be tested next?"  
"I do wonder, Jimmy." She replied, thinking solemnly back to what had happened with Carey. "I just hope that whoever is next, that I can be there for them."  
"You have a big heart, Fi." Kiara commentated, smiling at her young friend. "And it's because of that heart that you will ultimately pass."  
"Wise words, Kiara. Very wise words to take into consideration." Jimmy smiled at the woman, causing her to blush.  
Before Kiara could respond, her cell phone began to ring. She smiled sheepishly at him as she excused herself for a moment.  
Once she was out of range, Fiona turned to him, "Trying to score some major points, aren't ya Jimmy?"  
"Yeah, well…" He turned crimson, a shy smile on his face.  
Suddenly, a scream pierced the air. Jimmy and Fiona jumped up, attention peaked. They met eyes, wondering where that scream came from.  
"Jimmy! Fiona!" Kiara jogged up to them, eyes urgent. "A woman's being attacked… by, I think, demons! I saw her being dragged into the alley behind the café. C'mon!" She turned around, running to help. Fi and Jimmy tried to catch up with her, but she was too fast, so they just followed close behind.  
====================================================================  
Kiara struggled against the shadows surrounding her. Black, ugly, thick and deformed monsters were trying their best to swallow and, if anything, suffocate her.  
"In here, guys!"  
The witch's blood froze. That was her voice! And yet, she hadn't spoken a word. Her eyes frantically scanned the corner alley while keeping alert against her enemies.   
"No!" She cried as she mentally flung one of the dark figures into the wall. "Jimmy! Fiona! Stay back!"  
"Kiara?! Kay?!"   
"No, Jimmy!" Kiara made an attempt to run towards them, warn her friends, but was grasped at the throat by one of the shadow creatures.  
Her eyes widened in shock and fear as a woman that looked exactly like her came into the proximity. When the second "Kiara" spotted her, her eyes shifted ever so slightly to reveal an evil soul inside.  
"It's a trap!" Her mind screamed. It was then that an idea came to mind. She closed her eyes, mentally concentrating on her message to them. *Jimmy! Fi! Stop! It's a trap! Get help!*  
==================================================================  
As Jimmy Olsen and Fiona Phillips were about to turn the final corner, Jimmy collapsed on his knees, holding his head in his hands. Fi immediately stopped, falling to his side.  
"Jimmy?! Hey, what's wrong?"  
He looked up, extremely pained. "Can't you hear her? Can't you feel her?"  
"What?" Fi was confused by his words. "Jimmy, I—" Suddenly, she too stumbled, crying in pain.  
"You feel it too, Fi. It's Kiara." Jimmy tried to regain composure, but was too overwhelmed by what had happened.  
*Jimmy! Fi! Stop! It's a trap! Get help!* They both heard Kiara's voice push through.  
They met eyes, not knowing what to think or do.   
"A trap? We were running into a trap?" Fi wondered aloud.   
"I don't understand it either, Fi. But with everything that's happened…" His voice trailed off as a new thought came to mind. Fear and concern clouded his eyes, "It's Kiara's turn. They're testing her now."  
Fiona tried to stand, but buckled by the pain that Kiara was mentally sending out to her friends. "I have to help her, Jimmy."  
"We both do, Fiona." He managed to get on his feet, but had to immediately lean himself on the wall. Jimmy held his head with one hand, while helping Fiona with his other.  
Once she was standing, make that leaning against the wall, as well, a single voice was called from her lips. "Leo! Leo!"  
===================================================================  
Kiara felt lightheaded. They were surrounding her too fast, overtaking her too hard. She was losing breath, losing sight of everything around her.   
The fake Kiara crossed her arms, sneering at the young witch as the demon shadows were squeezing the life out of her. With a just a snap of her fingers, the fake Kiara transformed herself in a different, older woman.   
Kiara tried to focus on this new woman. Tried to get as much details as she can.  
"What's the point, child?" The woman snickered, knowing what Kiara was trying to accomplish. "You'll kill yourself trying."  
"Who… are…" It was getting hard for her to take in air. She felt as if the shadows had jumped into her, filling into her lungs like smoke. "You?…"  
"Me?" The woman slithered up to Kiara. "You want to know who I am? Let me ask you this, young witch… do I look like a fool? And even if I did reveal who I am, you won't live to tell."  
"Kiara!"  
The woman spun around at the sound of that strong voice. Kiara gazed up, a small hopeful smile on her face as she recognized the glowing aura of Leo the white lighter.  
"Leo…" Kiara's voice was hoarse as she called out to him.  
"Whoever you are, let her go." He stalked up to them, Fiona and Jimmy closely behind him.  
"Uh-uh-uh." The woman replied, waggling her index finger at him. "Remember the rules, white lighter? It's their turn to take the challenge. And that means, no heavenly helpers helping."  
Leo stopped in mid-step, taking in what the vixen had said. "What do you mean by 'their turn'?"  
"Exactly as it sounds like, white lighter." She glanced back at the weakening Kiara, an ugly smirk on the woman's face. "Young Kiara isn't the only one being tested. And I'm not talking about young Fiona as well."  
Jimmy's heart stopped. He looked upon the helpless Kiara, and was immediately worried and angered by her state. Gazing at the one responsible for his lady fair's misery, "It's my test as well."   
He made his way to stand in front of Leo. Jimmy stood courageously tall, "I'm ready for whatever you throw at me. Just let Kiara go, and you can do whatever you want of me."  
"If I let her go, you willingly give up your life for her?"  
Jimmy didn't need to think that answer over. With no hesitation, "In a heartbeat."  
She looked the young man over, taking his offer into consideration. Slyly, she turned her back towards him, as if to think it over. Unknown to the awaiting heroes, the villainous was forming a very wicked fire ball within her very hand. "Well, Olsen, I guess then that my answer would have to be…"  
Kiara could feel her whole world turning black. She knew that unless she fought, she would die… yet, if she did, she would just die more quickly. Her sight was deteriorating fast, but not fast enough. Instantly, her vision caught sight of something forming in her foe's hand. Kiara felt her throat tighten at the realization of what it was. With every strength that was left in her, she screamed out, "Jimmy!"  
"No."   
Before her friends could react to the woman's answer, or to Kiara's cry, the evil vixen swung around to reveal the ball of flames in her possession. Fiona held out her hand instinctively as if to magickally stop the ball. Only, the woman did not throw it at them… but merely revealed it to them just before she threw at Kiara.  
"KIARA!!!" Jimmy cried, his legs moving towards her… but it was too late.  
Her screams echoed the closed space as the flames immediately engulfed her. The shadows in her lungs had vanished from her, but only aided in the fires attempt to scorch every part of Kiara's body.   
The devilish woman giggled at what she had done, before disappearing into the darkness of her shadowy demons.  
"Oh my God!" Fiona was frozen in place. She didn't know what to do, how to react.  
"Kiara!" Jimmy was about to reach out to her, but Leo had tackled him to the ground.  
"Jimmy, don't!" He held him down, refusing to let go.  
"Leo?! What are you doing?!" Fiona raced up to the white lighter, grabbing hold of him. "Let him go! We have to help her!"  
"I have to… Leo, please!" Jimmy struggled against him.  
"Guys… look." Was all he said, his own eyes mainly focused on Kiara.  
Kiara, who had just been swallowed up scorching flames and whose very screams revealed that of pain and agony, was now collapsed on the ground, unconscious and… miraculously unscathed.  
Once Leo released him, Jimmy and Fiona got up and raced towards their fallen friend. Jimmy scooped the young girl into his arms, holding her tight. "Kiara…" He whispered.  
Leo joined them, placing a hand on her forehead. "She's extremely feverish. We have to get her to the hospital." He looked at them, dread in his eyes. "And we have to hurry."   
  
  
  
  



	10. THE CHALLENGES: Kiara and Jimmy

PART IX—THE CHALLENGES  
  
CHAPTER 2-B: KIARA'S and JIMMY'S CHALLENGE  
THE HOSPITAL  
Looking. Looking is all he could do… all he can do. Well, that and pray.   
Jimmy Olsen gazed down helplessly at Kiara's still form. She wasn't breathing, but the doctors, much to their own amazement, said that she still had a strong pulse. Her fever was high, and not at all descending. They said that she had slipped into a very deep coma, and chances of her surviving without any permanent damages were pretty slim. In fact, they even believe that Kiara surviving at all would be a miracle in itself.  
The doctors and nurses were asking too many questions… most in which Jimmy himself couldn't answer without sounding like a complete lunatic.  
Thank God that Prue and her sisters arrived in time to handle all the inquiries. They've been down this road before, unlike Jimmy whose still a novice in all this magick business.  
"She has to pull through, Jimmy." A gentle hand was laid on his shoulder. Fiona knew that this was killing the young man, and she wanted to remove the horrid pain in his eyes.  
He took Kiara's hand, feeling the light slip out of him. "I can't lose her, Fi. I mean, I know this sounds selfish, but I don't want to lose her. I know I'm not the only one going through hell over her," He managed to stray his eyes outside to see the Halliwell sisters trying to logically explain the situation to a bunch of doctors. "They love her like a sister. And I'm sure that Leo feels the exact same way. I just can't get over the fact that I could have prevented this. That she wouldn't have to lose her life—"  
"Over me." Fiona said.  
"No, Fiona. I didn't mean that…" Jimmy replied, looking up at her with the most saddest eyes she has ever seen. "Fi…"  
"No, Jimmy. I know what you mean, but you have to admit, she wouldn't be in this much danger if she had just backed away from this whole protecting Fiona situation."  
Jimmy grabbed a hold of Fiona, "Listen to me, Fiona. What makes Kiara Kiara is her huge heart. She would risk her own soul for the safety of others. I know I haven't known her, or you, for very long, but I do know that when it comes down to it, you two are willing to sacrifice your very beings for the countless lives of innocents."  
Fiona's heart broke as she took in Jimmy's words. She pulled him into a hug, into which he gladly returned.  
"You won't lose her, Jimmy." Determination was evident in her voice. "I'm going to make sure of that."  
====================================================================  
Prue needed to sit down. She was so wiped out with having to think up a reasonable explanation as to why Kiara was in the state she was in.   
"How are you holding up, Prue?"   
She looked up, smiling wearily at the face before her. "Okay, I guess, Jack."  
Jack gazed into the hospital room where Fi was with Jimmy and Kiara. He smiled bitterly, "It's just not fair, Prue. Kiara is in there fighting for her life, and we can't do a damn thing about it." He thought about his sister, and his anger towards the situation grew. "And I know it's killing Fi. It's eating her alive knowing that she can't do anything to heal Kiara."  
"Jack," Prue placed a hand on his arm, "Fiona is a strong young lady. As long as she knows that you're by her side, she's going to come out on top." She also looked into the room, "It's killing all of us. Kiara looks so helpless… and I feel so helpless."  
"And you hate it." Jack said, a small smile on his face.  
"Yeah. I do."  
=====================================================================  
"C'mon, Kiara. Please come back to us," Jimmy brushed a loose strand of her dark hair from her face. "Come back to me."  
Fiona sat on the opposite side of Jimmy, watching his every affectionate move.   
Jimmy placed a tender kiss on her forehead… when his whole world came crashing down.  
Her monitor wailed frantically, her pulse flat lining.  
"Kiara?!" Jimmy jumped, startled. Fiona followed suite, fear and concern on her face.  
A code blue was called over the P.A. Doctors and nurses flooded into the room, forcing Jimmy and Fiona out.  
"But—wait, I—"   
"Jimmy? What's happening?" Jimmy turned around, seeing the worried look on Prue's face.   
"I don't know." He sighed, his eyes turning back to where Kiara was.  
He felt like he was watching his world shatter in just one single moment. The doctors were trying their best to revive Kiara, but her heart monitor was still flat lined.   
"This can't be happening." Phoebe murmured, feeling the tears start to emerge from her eyes. "She's too strong, too young to die."  
"Phoebe," Piper comforted her baby sister with a hug, holding her tight.  
Prue felt a pair of strong hands on her shoulder. She turned to see Leo, mirroring her own worries and fear.   
Jack placed his arms around his sister, who was beginning to break down at the sight before her. Fi took comfort in her brother's presence. "It's okay, Fi. She's going to make it."  
"What if she doesn't, Jack?" Her eyes met his, "This was her test. What happened to her, she was being tested. And so was Jimmy… and so was I. If she dies… we fail."  
The young man was a lost of words. He looked over at Leo and Prue, who could hardly met his own gaze without revealing sadness in their eyes. Jack just held Fiona. That's all he could do.  
"Don't give up, Kiara." Jimmy whispered. "Don't leave us. Please…"  
===================================================================  
  
CHAPTER 2… part C  
"Baby? Fi? Can I come in?"   
Molly Phillips gently opened the door, peeking into her daughter's and Annie's hotel room. No lights were on, no windows were open, only darkness.  
She crept in and took in the fallen form on the bed. Her heart broke over the sight of her daughter.  
"She's dead, mom."  
Molly made her way towards Fiona, "I'm so sorry, baby." She sat down, tenderly brushing her daughter's hair aside. "Fiona,"  
Fi turned over, revealing her tear-soaked face. "It's all my fault, mom. She's dead because of me."  
Molly was taken aback, "What?"  
The young woman started to sob, "She… she wouldn't… she'd be… I'm to blame…"  
"No, Fiona. Don't you dare think like that, baby." She pulled her little girl into a hug, not daring to release her. "How could you believe that you had caused Kiara's death? You didn't kill her, Fiona. You couldn't have… you're not that type of person to do something like that… you're too good a person. So don't think like that, Fi."  
"Mom, she died because of me. Because she knew me and because she wanted to help me." Fiona pulled herself out of her mother's embrace, and fell back onto her bed. She refused to talk any further about it… letting her guilt eat her alive.  
Molly was left confused and saddened by her little girl's state. She was about to ask her why she felt such burden, when someone entered the room.  
"Mrs. Phillips?"  
She looked up, seeing a young man at the door. "Yes?"  
"I'm Jimmy Olsen. I'm a friend of Fi's… may I speak to her? Alone?" Jimmy stepped further in hesitantly.  
Molly was about to turn him away, feeling that she needed this time to talk to Fiona, when Jimmy said something to her that otherwise changed her mind.   
"I was there when Kiara died. Both Fi and I saw her… I just wanted to talk to her about it."  
Molly glanced back at Fiona, then sadly smiled back at Jimmy. "Okay, but only for a while. She needs her rest."  
"Thank you, Mrs. Phillips."   
She got up and went to him. She placed a comforting hand on his arm, "I'm really sorry to hear about Kiara, Jimmy."  
"So am I." He couldn't met her gaze, for fear he would break down right in front of her. "So am I."  
====================================================================  
Molly closed the door, letting the two speak in private. In the hall, she closed her eyes. How could something like this happen? When she opened her eyes, she saw her son approach her.  
"Hey mom." Jack looked at the door, "How's Fiona?"  
"She's so distraught over Kiara's death, Jack." She looked at her son, "Jack, do you know why Fi is blaming herself over it? I can understand why you guys would be so upset over this, seeing as you two became good friends with the young lady, but I don't understand why Fiona is acting this way."  
Jack thought his words over. He wanted to straight out tell his mom the truth… but he knew he couldn't do it without some major consequences following. He opened his mouth as if to speak, then closed them and shrugged. "I don't know, mom."  
Molly had a lot of faith and trust in knowing that her children can be honest with her about everything and anything. Yet as she took in what Jack said, and his actions when saying it, she was saddened with doubt.  
Sadly smiling at him, she placed a hand on his shoulder, "You know you can tell me anything, Jack. No secrets, okay?"  
With a very good facade, he focused all his inner strength to look at her blankly. "I know, mom."  
"Jack…" she began, "Why do I have a feeling that you're keeping something from me that concerns your sister?"  
"I don't know why." He shrugged, his face still blank as a white board. It was eating him up inside to have to lie to his mom, but he had to. If his mom knew the truth, she would be at risk. It was bad enough that he had to worry about the chance of losing his sister, but he couldn't handle having to lose his mother as well. He had to keep the truth from her. He just had to.  
"What makes you think I'm keeping something from you, mom?"  
"I don't know, baby. Just a mother's instinct, I guess." She pulled him into a hug, causing his guilt to fester.  
"You would tell me if something was wrong, wouldn't you, Jack?"  
"Yes, mom." He said, partly lying through his teeth. He would tell her, unless certain circumstances were called for…  
=====================================================================  
"Fi?"  
"Jimmy, don't." Her voice was muffled against the pillow, but her message was still loud and clear.  
"It's not your fault. It's not anyone's fault… except the beings that killed her."  
Jimmy waited for Fiona to answer, but she didn't. He made his way towards her, sitting himself on her bed where Molly was a few minutes ago.  
"Okay, Fi, I know that you don't want to talk to me… and I won't force you to." He sighed, "So I'll do all the talking, and you'll just listen."  
Fiona stirred, but still didn't say a word.   
"Don't believe that you are at fault, Fi. And you know that. You know that you're not to blame… but it's your guilt that's telling you otherwise. And they would love it if you believe your guilt over your heart. Fiona, you cannot let it get to you."  
"I failed, Jimmy. I know that it's stupid to still think about their test towards me, but it's my life at stake." She turned over, facing him. "I didn't want to believe that the forces against me were that cruel as to actually kill to get to me… but they did." Fresh tears began to form, "You heard that woman in the alley. All three of us were being tested. Kiara didn't have to die. We could have saved her… but we didn't. We failed."   
Anger and anguish began to boil within her. Looking towards the heavens, she cried, "You hear that?! We failed! I failed! You might as well take my life as well!"  
She looked at Jimmy again, "They could have just taken my life like that," Fi snapped her fingers, "But they decided to kill me slowly by making me watch the people close to me suffer."  
"Fiona!" He shook her, "Don't! Please don't think like this!" Jimmy begged.  
"If you let your guilt and your anger eat at you, you will fail."   
"I already have, Jimmy."  
"No you haven't. But you will if you believe all these words that you're saying."  
"So what should I do, Jimmy? They killed Kiara. Who will they get to next? You? My brother? Clu? They could get to anyone…"  
"They already destroyed a huge part of myself when they took Kiara away from us." Jimmy gently grabbed a hold of Fiona.  
"Fi, you and I are still being tested. You didn't fail. I didn't fail. We have to take this tragedy and use it against them and not us. Kiara's death shouldn't be in vain, Fiona. And you know that! You know what needs to be done in order for us to pass this twisted game they're playing."  
She took a deep breath, taking in his words. Fiona needed to take a moment. Getting up, she walked over to the window of her hotel room.  
"I did a lot of thinking, Fiona. I am angry, hurt, devastated, pissed off, and above all, extremely determined to bring her killers to justice."  
Fi turned around, the tears swept away, and the determination shining in her eyes. "So am I, Jimmy. And you're right. The only way I could truly fail is to let the blame destroy me… and I won't let it. To many people need me to be there for them… and to succeed."  
For once since the whole tragic incident, Fiona found the silver lining. She immediately opened the curtains, letting the light shine through. Staring at the sky, which was beginning to truly open and smile brightly. Turning to Jimmy, the trademark Fiona Phillips' grin on her face, "Let's go kick some evil forces' butt."   
  
  



	11. THE CHALLENGES: Annie

THE CHALLENGES  
  
ANNIE'S CHALLENGE  
DAY FOUR  
HALLIWELL MANOR… EVENING  
  
Leo gazed upon everyone present. From young Annie to the Charmed Ones themselves. Everyone was seated in the same places when they had first assembled, with one big exception…  
  
"In light of what has happened…" Leo smiled sadly, "I know that everyone is feeling a bit apprehensive. Kiara is… Kiara was a very special person. She will always stay with us… but we can't let what happened to her cloud our original goal."  
  
"Leo's right," Fiona said. "Kiara wouldn't have wanted her death to be the cause of our own demise."  
  
"Fi's correct." Leo spoke, "With what has occurred, we now know what they are capable of."  
  
"Yeah," Annie commented, "They're willing to kill to get what they want." She looked at her friend, "And they want Fi…" Boldness was evident in her voice, "But they're going to have to get through us to get to Fiona."  
  
Jack smiled at Annie, admiring her conviction.   
  
"You go, girl!" Phoebe grinned at her.  
  
Annie Thelan beamed at Phoebe, then at Leo, "So what do we have to do now?"  
  
"There's only one thing we can do, Annie." Leo sighed, "We have to wait and see who's going to be next."  
  
===================================================================  
  
"Superb job, darling." The man gazed down at his wife.   
  
"Thank you, husband." She was smiling wickedly at her daughter, who was quietly playing with her toys. The woman then glanced up at the doorway, hearing footsteps coming towards them.  
"Novania? Is that you?"  
  
"Yes… it is I." Novania replied, her accent still evident, yet her voice quite unlike her own.  
  
Smirking at the spirit, "So, how is the new body holding up? To your expectations, I hope."  
  
"Ay, madam. Very much so to my liking." Novania emerged from the shadows, combing down her dark hair, her new eyes sparkling menacingly at them.  
  
Angel glanced up at the approaching sound of her aunt Novania. She took in the form, confused. "Auntie Novania?"  
  
"Yes, child?" She looked down upon her.  
  
The little girl then glanced at her parents, "That isn't auntie Novania."  
  
"Yes it is, my darling." Her mother stooped next to Angel. "Look into her eyes, daughter. You will recognize that it is still your aunt Novania."  
  
She listened to her mother, looking intently into the dark and silver tinted eyes of her aunt. Within the very cores of the eyes twinkled the soul of Novania. Smiling sheepishly, "Oh, there you are. I didn't know you can look so young, auntie Novania."  
  
"Neither did I, child." Novania smirked.   
  
"Run along, Angel. Your mommy and I need to talk to your aunt about something very important."  
  
"Okay, daddy." Angel grabbed her toys, got up, and raced to the next room. Before she exited, she turned towards the three adults and smiled.  
  
"That child is too sweet to be of your blood." Novania sneered at them, once Angel was out of proximity.  
  
"Not for long anyway," He replied.  
  
Novania walked towards the couch, sitting her new body down. "So, with this new body comes her powers as well?"  
  
"Without a soul, the body is of no use. With the spell I had cast, you should indeed have her powers, Novania." The woman answered.  
  
"And what of her soul? What did you do to it?"  
  
"The same thing that I do with all the souls I collect… I put them in their proper storage." She walked over to the hearth, pressing down on a secret button behind it. As she did so, the wall revealed a secret compartment. In the compartment was a bountiful amount of crystal balls. She reached in and pulled out one of them.   
  
Novania watched as the wicked sorceress peered into it, beaming evilly at her creation. "This little cell holds the very soul of your body's original owner. She has no powers, for I made sure that when I separated her essence from her body, that her supernatural abilities stay within the physical cell. In other words, you."  
  
"My lovely wife has thought of everything." The man walked over to her, wrapping his arm around her.   
  
"May I see that?" Novania asked, indicating the mini crystal jail.  
  
"Be careful, Novania. If that shatters, her spirit is set free."  
  
"So? What can she do? She will have no body to return to. She will merely just die."  
  
"And when witches die, they are able to return to the earth as spirits and aid in their loved ones whenever they are in need. In other words, Novania, once Kiara Lance is set free, she will immediately seek out the others and reveal all that she knows about us. And we can't have that happening, now can we?"  
  
Novania cast her eyes down at the fragile cell holding the spirit of Kiara Lance. For a moment, Novania actually felt an emotion of guilt… but quickly brushed it aside.  
  
Gazing up at her masters, she asked, "So, what's the next step in your plan?"  
  
The woman formed a transparent round object in her hand. A new image appeared in it. Smiling devilishly at the image, "I do believe that it's mademoiselle Thelan's turn."  
  
=====================================================================  
  
Phoebe was in the kitchen when it happened. She was just fixing up a drink for herself when she spotted a group picture of the Charmed Ones, Leo, and Kiara. Fondly, she removed it from the refrigerator and just stared at Kiara's smiling face.  
  
All of a sudden, Phoebe jerked as images flashed through her. Visions of a woman being murdered, suffocated by… shadows? She then had a haunting flash of Annie. The young woman was being physically and magickally attacked by… Kiara?! When the visions stopped, Phoebe had to grasp the fridge for support as she fought for air.  
  
"Phoebe?!" Declan had entered to kitchen to get a glass of water when he saw her. He raced to her side, concerned. "Phoebe, are you okay?"  
  
"Declan," she gasped for breath, then gazed at him, "I had a vision… two visions…"  
  
"Of what?" He helped her up, letting her lean on him.   
  
She grasped the photograph, "I have to tell the others."  
  
"Okay. C'mon…" Declan aided her to the living area where everyone else was waiting for their return.  
  
When they emerged from the kitchen, Piper and Prue jumped to their feet at the weary sight of their younger sister. "Phoebe!"  
  
"I'm okay, guys." She assured them, still leaning on Declan.  
  
"She had a vision." Declan informed them.  
  
"Of what, Pheebs?" Prue asked.  
  
Declan sat Phoebe on a chair, then allowed her to explain.   
  
"I was just looking at this picture of us and Kiara when it happened. I first saw a woman being overpowered by shadows…"  
  
Leo, Jimmy, and Fiona shared a look. Could the same forces be at work?   
  
"And then I saw Annie."   
  
Annie stood at alert, "You saw me?"  
  
"Yeah, and you were being attacked… and here's the weird part, your attacker was Kiara."  
  
"Phoebe," Leo began, "Are you sure that it was Kiara that you saw? Maybe it was someone who probably had the same features as her and—"  
  
"I know what I saw, Leo." Phoebe stubbornly replied. "It was Kiara."  
  
"But how can that be, Pheebs?" Piper looked at her sister, concerned. "I mean, as much as we would like to believe that Kiara is still alive, she's dead. We all saw her in the hospital. And tomorrow, we will all attend her funeral."  
  
=====================================================================  
  
Clu managed to slip from the room, immediately lost in thought. While everyone was trying to figure out Phoebe's bizarre premonition, a haunting idea came to him. Over the past few days, he had secretly been researching every information on witchcraft. When Kiara died, he had this nagging feeling in him to pay extra close attention to the facts concerning the aftermath of a witch's demise. Suddenly, it hit him.   
  
"She's not dead!"  
  
"What?!" Everyone turned to Clu as he ran back into the living room area.  
  
"Clu, hon, what are you talking about?" Fiona gazed up at her boyfriend's smiling face.  
  
"Kiara isn't dead!"  
  
"Not you too, Clu." Piper moaned. "Look, it's impossible. We all saw her heart monitor go flat line. The doctors themselves say that she's dead. We all saw her."  
  
"Okay," Clu nodded, "So if she is gone, then call upon her spirit to help us. She's a witch, isn't she? When a witch dies, and is later called upon, they will answer."  
  
Everyone gazed at Clu, taking in his words. When realization hit, Fiona jumped up and embraced her boyfriend into a huge hug. "You're a genius, Clu!" She then turned to everyone, "He's right! Let's contact her!"  
  
"What if we do?" Jimmy then responded, unsure about doing the task. "What if we do contact her? It will just prove that she is dead…"  
  
"But what if we are unable to." Phoebe pointed out. "Then that means Kiara is alive, but probably her body and soul was… I guess, kidnapped!"  
  
Phoebe got up and raced towards the attic. Piper sighed, then decided to test Clu's theory. Prue also decided to follow, but then turned to Fiona and Jack, smiling. "We could use the help of two witches."  
  
The Phillips children glanced at each other, then grinned. "Cool."  
  
=====================================================================  
  
Annie decided to stay back, while the others departed up to the attic. She just needed to gather her thoughts.   
  
"What if Phoebe's premonition is right?" she murmured to herself. Annie began to walk towards the door, having the urge to get some fresh air. As she reached the grand entrance, a voice stopped her.  
  
"If it is true, then it might be wise of you to get yourself a body guard."  
  
She spun around, meeting eyes with Carey.  
  
"Carey," she gasped. "You scared me."  
  
"Sorry." He replied. Walking up to her, "You're not going to go outside unprotected, are you?"  
  
"I'm a big girl, Bell." She smirked, "I think I can handle myself."  
  
"Annie, I'm just worried about you."  
"I know you are… but as I said, I can handle it." She grabbed the doorknob, opening it… but Carey stopped her.   
  
"Carey?"  
  
"Can I at least keep you company? I would feel a whole lot better if I knew you were at least partly within fail-safe protection."  
  
She smiled at him, unable to resist his protective side. "Okay."  
  
=====================================================================  
  
She watched as the door to the Halliwell manor opened. With wicked intent, she spied two forms emerging from the entrance.   
  
"Perfect…" She grinned as she gazed upon the Thelan girl and the Bell boy.  
  
Patient as a cat, she waited for the right time to pounce.  
  
=====================================================================  
  
Annie resisted the urge to giggle at Carey. She knew how much Carey like Prue, but she could also see how much Prue truly cared about him. So here he was, sitting on the top stoop, woefully telling his tale to Annie.  
  
"Carey," She finally said, "Just give it some time. I'm sure Prue will come around."  
  
"And if she doesn't?"  
  
"Well… it's her lost. Because you're a great guy, Carey Bell. A total sweetheart."  
  
Carey beamed at her, "Back at ya, kiddo." He attempted to tousle her hair, but she managed to smack it aside.  
  
"I'm not a kid!" She giggled as he made a couple of attempts to mess up her golden locks.  
  
The two's laughter could be heard through the night. It was that sound that signaled the huntress to jump from the shadows.  
  
"Aww, how sweet… the wondrous sound of laughter."  
  
Annie and Carey leapt to their feet. They gasped in shock as out of the darkness emerged a familiar and beloved face.  
  
"Kiara?" They both reacted, stunned.  
  
"In the flesh… so to speak." She responded, her once friendly eyes now sparkled of destruction.  
  
The two knew that they face and body belonged to Kiara… but behind it was something, or someone, totally evil.  
  
"You're not Kiara…" Annie began, slowly making her way down the steps.  
  
Carey grasped her arm, "Annie, don't."  
  
"Well, ain't that the sweetest thang you could ever set your sights upon?" She smirked at the two. "The manly man protecting the life of his beloved. If that ain't chivalry at its best, then I don't know what is!"  
  
"Who are you?" Carey commanded, releasing his hold on Annie as he too took a step towards her.  
  
"What? Don't recognize your dear ol' friend Kiara Lance?" She sneered, causing Carey and Annie to wince.  
  
They couldn't believe that this malevolent creature was their cherished Kiara.  
  
It was then that it dawned on Annie. She knew exactly who it was.  
  
"You may have the body of Kiara… but I do know who you are… Nova—"  
  
"Uh-uh-uh." Kiara replied, waggling her finger. "Dear child, if you know what I think you know, then you must realize that once I exit this body, all you'll have left of your dear Kiara is but an empty shell."  
  
"You're lying!" Annie accused. "From what Fiona has told me, once you release your hold on Kiara, she returns back to her old self."  
  
"Ay, that's true…" Kiara said. She was pensive for a brief second, then the wicked smirk appeared on her face again, "And that would happen… unless the body didn't have a soul to take command of it again."  
  
"What?" Carey and Annie asked, thrown off by that statement.  
  
"Oy, you tiny minded creatures you!" Kiara threw up her hands. "Then again, I guess I should have considered the true capacity of a regular human mind." She sneered at them, "Layman's term, Kiara's soul is separated from her body. If I am forced to leave it, all you'll have left is an empty lifeless body."  
  
"What did you do to her soul?" Annie demanded.  
  
Kiara raised her finger to her lips, deep in thought… at least mocking the gesture anyway. She then replied, "I cannot honestly answer that question."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because I am not the one who knows the true answer."  
  
"What is that supposed to mean?" Carey asked, about as baffled as Annie.  
  
Kiara raised her hands to her ears, "Oy, too many questions!" She then pretended to glance down at a watch, "And not enough time." A glint appeared in her eyes, "At least for you anyway."  
  
With a flick of her wrist, she sent Carey flying down the steps, his body hitting the harsh ground.  
  
"Carey!" Annie cried, racing to his side.  
  
"Not so fast, child." Kiara mentally used her powers to knock Annie to the opposite side of Carey.  
  
Annie met the lawn, her head throbbing from the force of impact. She struggled to stand up, confused by what has happened.   
  
The body of her friend stood over her, her deadly intention apparent. "Get up, girl. Face your demise like a good little soldier."  
  
Annie wanted to fight back, but she couldn't do it. In her eyes, she still saw Kiara and not the evil Novania with the Kiara mask.  
  
"You can't, can you, little one?" She smirked. "How pathetic!"  
  
"Please, Nov—"  
  
"Uh-uh. Remember, child, empty shell…"  
  
"Don't do this."  
  
Kiara leered down at Annie, almost mockingly. "I did not come down here to make a plea bargain. Now if you won't get up and face me, then I'll just have to provoke the fighting spirit out of ya!" She turned around and slowly made her way to Carey's still body.  
  
"No!" Annie cried, quickly pouncing on Kiara.  
  
Kiara just laughed gleefully as she physically removed Annie's body off of her, sending the young woman to the ground. "Ha ha! Now that's the stuff that gets the adrenaline pumpin'! C'mon, now… hit me!"  
  
"You're crazy!" Annie proclaimed, inching herself away from Kiara.  
  
"Well, I prefer mentally challenged… but crazy just suites me fine!" Kiara picked Annie up by the neck, enjoying the satisfaction of watching the young lass squirm within her hand.  
  
"You are making this way too easy on me, child!"   
  
Annie felt dizzy. She couldn't breath against this monster's hold of her. Her mind screamed for her to just take control of the situation and kick this vixen's butt… but she still saw Kiara and not Novania.  
  
"You human's make me sick." She sneered, her grasp tightening. "That's why it gives me such great pleasure to just jump and take control your bodies."  
  
When Novania said that, Annie's mind finally clicked. It finally accepted the contrast… and that made all the difference.  
  
With every strength she could get, she summoned up the one spirit that could help her.  
  
====================================================================  
  
Carey felt something tugging on his arm. His head was singing a painful song, for it throbbed in deep agony. "Aw, man…"  
  
The tugging continued, until he finally swatted it away. His eyes fluttered open to see the source of the consistent pulling of his arm. "What do you wa—"   
  
A pair of gleaming eyes met his, causing Carey to leap to his feet, startled. The beautiful black creature stared at him, regarding Carey's worth.  
  
"Uh… nice kitty? Big kitty…" He held his hands out defensively, waiting for it to strike.   
  
The panther purred at him, then indicated to something behind Carey. The young man turned around, gasping at the sight before him.   
  
"Annie!" He briefly glanced back at the animal, who had mystically disappeared. Before he could completely register what has happened, he remembered Annie.  
  
====================================================================  
  
"Hey!"  
  
Kiara turned her head, smirking. "Well, well, well… if it ain't the knight and shining armor himself." She glanced back at Annie's struggling form. She then simply tossed Annie to the ground. "I was getting bored with her anyway."  
  
"I know you're not Kiara. And I do know you're true name."  
  
"So what? Do I look scared?"   
  
Carey stood strong, not backing down as "Kiara" made her way towards him.   
  
"What is this?" She indicated to his stance. "You're not backing down, now are you?"   
  
"No."  
  
"Why Carey Bell… you do have the stamina to stand tall against an attractive woman's close proximity. And here I thought you were always a wuss who could easily cave in."  
  
"Kiara is beautiful… but right now, all I can see is the ugliness that is you, Nova—"  
  
"Are all you humans born clueless?!" Kiara exclaimed, throwing her hands up. She mock knocked on his forehead, causing him to swat it away angrily. "Hello! I'm the only soul in command of *this* body. Do you *not* understand that concept?!"  
  
"Yes we do,"   
  
Kiara turned around, seeing Annie standing tall. Though she felt weary, and she could feel a trickle of blood from a cut on her forehead, Annie's fighting spirit was a determined as ever.  
  
"Which is why we would rather have a shell of our kind Kiara, then have to see it die under the hands of an evil spirit like you! Be gone from this mortal form, Novan—"  
  
Novania felt fear in her mortal heart. Reacting instinctively, she swung her hands and sent Annie crashing up into the window of the Halliwell manor.  
  
Carey screamed out Annie's name, racing up the stairs.  
  
Novania heard commotion within that house. Heard that Fiona girl scream. She stared down at her hands… at Kiara's hands.  
  
*Novania! Return at once!* Novania heard her master psychically bellow.  
  
The mortal guilt that came with this body became to overpower her. Why did she have to attain emotions with this human shell?  
  
Taking one last glance at the Halliwell manor, she sighed and made her escape.  
  
====================================================================  
  
"Annie!"  
  
Fiona ran down the steps as soon as she recognized the shattered figure on the floor.  
  
"Oh my God!" Piper exclaimed, then gazed at Leo, "Leo, you have to heal her!"  
  
Carey stayed by her side, afraid to move her. When he saw her fragile body go through the window, every nerve in his body shot through the roof. Every single version of fear he has ever experienced was simply nothing in comparison to what he was feeling right this moment.  
  
"Annie…" He whispered her name, tenderly brushing her hair away from her face. It was then that he felt the harsh slap of reality when he felt the moistness of fresh blood. "I'm so sorry," He murmured to her, feeling wet tears threatening to fall.  
  
Leo made his way to her, avoiding the broken glass. He looked at Carey, noticing his trance of shock and dismay.   
  
"Carey, help me move her to the couch."   
  
"What?" He awoke from his stupor, looking at Leo incredulously. "Are you sure?"  
  
"Trust me, Carey." He met eyes with the young man, complete assurance in them.  
  
He nodded, slowly helping Leo carry Annie's unconscious body.  
  
Fiona felt Clu's arm around her. She took comfort in him as she kept her gaze on her dear friend.  
Jack was stunned. How could this have happened? Prue placed a sisterly arm around his shoulder, mirroring her own shock and confusion over this.  
  
Jimmy ran a hand through his hair in disbelief. What is going on that people have to get emotionally and physically hurt?  
  
Declan took hold of Phoebe's tension, while Piper quickly joined Leo's side.  
  
"How is she, Leo?"  
  
"She's still alive, Piper. But she's bleeding pretty badly."  
  
"She has so much open wounds on her." Carey sighed.  
  
Leo slapped his hands together, rubbing them up to full power. "Okay, here I go." He laid his hands over Annie's most deepest wound, which was on her forehead. Concentrating hard, an amazing light beamed on it, slowly healing the cut. He traveled to each gash, healing it up with all his might.  
  
As Leo tended to Annie, Jack just had to know what exactly happened. "Carey, how did this happen?"  
  
"It was Novania." He spitted out the name bitterly. "She flung Annie through the window."  
  
"What?!" Fiona exclaimed. "How? Novania's just a ball of light!"  
  
"She's in Kiara's body." He faced Fiona, anger in his eyes. "She also has Kiara's powers."  
  
"Kiara? You mean, Kiara's alive?!" Jimmy felt hope grow within him, despite the recent revelation.  
  
"Where is she, Carey?" Phoebe had to know.  
  
"No, you can't go after her."  
  
"Carey, why didn't you just say her one true name? Then Kiara could be set free from Novania's hold."  
  
"That's what Annie tried to do, and look what happened to her."   
  
"I don't understand, Carey." Fiona tried to make sense of it all.  
  
Carey didn't answer, he was too tired and troubled over Annie. Clu noticed the distress on his brother's face. Taking his girl aside, he whispered, "Ask him about it later, Fi. I don't think he's up to answering questions."  
  
She looked at Carey, finally seeing the angst written on his face. "Carey, I'm sorry. I—" Fi shut her mouth, thinking better against saying more than she needed to say. Carey already knew how she felt.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
MINI NOTE from YOUR'S TRULY: C'mon, did you actually think I'd let my own character die?! Hope I didn't upset the lot of ya... and if I did, I'm sorry. What's an epic without a few twists and turns? Especially those that keep the readers on edge! 


	12. THE CHALLENGES: Declan & The Charmed On...

Mini note from moi: Okay, let me just say mahalo & merci for the reviews and I will keep going... but it's gonna take me some time and I really want to end this baby with a BANG!!! So pardon the delay and I promise that it will be worth it. Alrighty then, back to the show...  
  
=============================================================  
  
THE CHALLENGES: DECLAN and THE CHARMED ONES  
  
DAY FIVE  
Declan Dunn stared at his pen as if it held the answers to every question in the universe. He had no idea how long he'd been staring at it, for it seemed like years instead of mere minutes.  
  
"Professor Dunn?"   
  
Declan glanced up, breaking from his trance. "Huh?"   
  
A young woman was at the door of his office, smiling shyly at the man, "A miss Phoebe Halliwell is asking for you."  
  
"Oh." He returned the smile. "Tell her to come in."  
  
"Yes, Professor." She nodded, disappearing into the hallway.  
  
Declan began to clean up his desktop, not wanting Phoebe to see just how much of a slob he was. He stopped for a second, rethinking that thought. "Since when do I clean up to impress a woman?"  
  
"Declan?"   
  
He looked up, a goofy grin appearing on his face. "Hey, Pheebs!"  
  
Phoebe entered the room, a bit timid. For a second, her style of clothing threw Declan off. She was wearing a standard top and jeans. Nothing too fancy, nor extreme. It was as if she just wanted to appear like an ordinary girl. "Hey… you busy?"  
  
"Uh… not exactly. Come in, have a seat."  
  
She sat herself down, still a bit shy, withdrawn. Declan regarded her unusual character. Since when was Phoebe so shy around him? Even when they first met, she was out right out going around him.  
  
That was when it hit him… this is a test!  
  
He smiled at the woman, who carefully returned it. "Uh, Phoebe… I just remembered something. Something… something very… very, uh… important!" Declan stood up, mentally kicking himself for his obvious nervousness. Snatching any old manila folder within arms length, "See, I need to take this file to the admissions office. In the next building. Right this minute."  
  
"Declan…"  
  
"Sorry, Phoebe. Gotta run." And with that, Declan dashed out the door before Phoebe could stop him.  
  
Once he was out the door, Phoebe slapped her forehead, "Stupid! Now he thinks that you're a complete dork!" She stood up, "Why didn't I just up front ask him out? But no," She mumbled to herself, "I just had to get all shy around him! Wait a go, Halliwell."  
  
=====================================================================  
  
Declan turned the corner, then slapped himself again for forgetting his cell phone in the office. "Dork!" He muttered to himself.  
  
"So you finally admit to being one." A voice chuckled behind him.  
  
He turned around, a bright grin on his face. Returning the grin stood Phoebe, dressed in another of her daring outfits. *That's more like it!* He mentally said to himself. "Phoebe! Oh thank God that you're here!" Without thinking, Declan swooped her up into a big embrace.  
  
"Whoa there, buddy! What's with the hugging? I mean, as much as I would love more of it…" She joked.  
  
Declan grinned at her, glad to hear her very outgoing self speaking her mind. "I'm so glad that there is only one of you, Phoebe."  
  
She smiled at him, then raised her eyebrow. "Really?" She looked behind him, indicating to something over his shoulder. "So I guess that makes her my twin?"  
  
He turned around and saw the "Phoebe" that was in his office walking towards their direction. With his eyes still on that Phoebe, "Yeah, that's why I'm glad to see you, Pheebs. See, I think that's your evil clone that the forces testing us sent to test me."   
  
"Really?"  
  
His eyes still on the first Phoebe, "Yeah."  
  
"So what does that make me?"  
  
Declan was thrown off by that question. Turning around to reply, "What do you mean—" His mouth dropped open in shock, his speech silenced.  
  
The woman who he thought of as "Phoebe" began to magickally morph in front of him. She snickered at his reaction as she revealed her true self to Declan.  
"Oh boy… you're *not* Phoebe."  
  
Crossing her arms, in her own voice, "As your Phoebe would respond," In Phoebe's voice, "Duh!"  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"Humans. Your species certainly do amuse us creatures of black magick. For goodness sakes, your kind created comic books! Don't you know that once the bad guys reveal their scheme, it's only a matter of time before their attempts are foiled?"  
  
"Boy, who says that bad guys don't have a sense of humor."  
  
"If anything, our humor is very warped." She retorted, before blowing a purplish powder on him.  
  
Declan sneezed at first contact, shooing away the dust. "What the—?"  
  
As the sleeping powder began to take shape, the woman looked down upon her nails. Watching Declan slowly fall, "You know, I would usually physically capture humans with a mere injection from my venomous nails… but honestly, these days it's so hard to keep these babies perfectly manicured! Especially since I do most of the grunt work. Oh sure, my husband is a vicious genius and he does have his advantages… but the moron wouldn't even know how to react to a paper cut!" When she looked down, Declan had already fallen into an unconscious state. Scoffing, "Men."  
  
====================================================================  
  
"That's it! No more falling for men old enough to be… to be…to be my uncle!"  
  
Piper, Leo, and Prue were sitting around the kitchen table when Hurricane Phoebe entered the proximity.  
  
"I'm guessing that this is a sister thing…" Leo whispered to Piper.  
  
"Oh no you don't!" She hissed back, but wasn't able to stop Leo in time before he orbed out.  
Phoebe did a double-take. "Didn't I just see Leo in here a second ago?"  
  
"He got called." Piper explained, a bit irritated by his disappearance.  
  
"Oh… well, never mind. You two can stand to hear my ranting for a while. I mean, you two must be extremely used to it by now!"  
  
"Unfortunately." Prue whispered to Piper.  
  
"So, where was I? Oh yeah! I am not falling for men old enough—"  
  
The phone rang, cutting off Phoebe's sentence. Both Prue and Piper got up, "I got it!"  
  
Prue reached it first, sticking a tongue out childishly at Piper. "Ha!" Then to the phone, "Hello? Halliwell residence, Prue speaking."  
  
Piper rolled her eyes at Prue, then turned to face a completely agitated Phoebe. Before either girls could say a single word, Prue's startled voice caught their attention.  
  
"Oh my God! Alright, we'll be right there." Hanging up the phone, "That was Daryl. He said that Michael was being attacked by demons."  
  
"Michael?" Both Phoebe and Piper replied.  
  
Prue dashed out the kitchen before her sisters could question this "Michael" guy.  
  
"C'mon!" They heard her shout clear across the house.  
  
"Prue!" Piper and Phoebe followed, "Who's Michael?"  
  
=====================================================================  
  
"Why am I not surprised that *someone* would be *attacked* by *demons* in a very *dark alley*?" Phoebe joked as they entered the location that Daryl gave Prue.  
  
"So where is this Michael guy?" Piper asked her older sister.   
  
"And Morris?" Prue wondered.  
  
They scanned the area. From the potholes and dumpster to the closed off walls of the connecting buildings. Even though it was still daylight, being in that very small space caused a chill to run through them.  
  
It was then that an ill thought crashed into the Charmed Ones' minds. They glanced at each other, uttering the same words simultaneously, "What if this is a trap?"  
  
"Bravo, ladies. Excellent!"  
  
They looked up and gasped at the sight of their god sister, Kiara.  
  
"Kiara," Prue whispered.  
  
"Yes, 'tis your Kiara's body… but obviously not her soul." She snickered, causing Prue's fingers to itch with anger.  
  
Piper and Phoebe were about to say something, but Kiara had beat them to the punch. "And don't even try that stunt with uttering my true name. I know that your dear friends Annie and Carey had told you about what happened when they tried it… and look what happened to Miss Thelan."  
  
"We wouldn't dare to do something like that, Miss N." Phoebe said, causing Kiara to snicker.  
  
"Oh, how very clever! Miss Phoebe Halliwell, right? Always had the sharpest tongue in the family, didn't ya child?"  
  
"Enough with the idle chit-chat!" Prue demanded, getting extremely anxious with wanting to kick this spirit's butt and getting their Kiara back. "What do you want?"  
  
"Besides the Charmed Ones dead?" Kiara replied. She winked at them, then blinked herself out of the picture.  
  
"Where'd she go?" Piper jumped, startled by the disappearance.  
  
"Carey and Annie were right," Phoebe said, "She does have Kiara's powers."  
  
"Ay, indeed I do."   
  
The Charmed Ones spun around, seeing Kiara sitting comfortably on an empty trash bin.  
  
"You know, as much as I would love to see the oh so legendary Charmed Ones destroyed to oblivion… us evil foes would need to seek a different vocation. Wouldn't want to be responsible for a countless stream of villains standing aimlessly in the unemployment line, now would I?"  
  
Phoebe leaned close to her sisters, whispering, "This is Nov. that we're dealing with, right? Not our Kiara? Because they seem to have the same uncanny, and totally obnoxious, wit about them."  
  
"No." Kiara blinked again, this time appearing over them at the top of one buildings. "No. No. For some god-forsaking reason, they," She indicated towards the ground. "They see you three as the balance between good and evil. They both want and need you."  
  
"Sister, what's up your—"  
  
Kiara cut Phoebe off by cackling at them. "My butt? Besides this massive wedgie… I don't really know. See, I was born bitter and caustic. And I enjoy very much the game I play with my victims."  
  
"I know that you're not in charge of all this, Nov." Prue cried out to the vixen. If anything, Prue knew the exact words on how to tempt the bad guys. "You were sent to do a job, but you decided to have a little fun before accomplishing it. Am I right?"  
  
Kiara began to clap her hands in a mock fashion. She stared daggers down at Prue. "Well, well. Prue Halliwell. The brains behind the Charmed Ones. Let's see, now we have the apparent brain… the brat, oh sorry, I mean, mouth…"  
  
Phoebe suddenly had this uncanny feeling to just gut the spirit right there and then.  
  
Kiara's eyes landed on Piper, still mocking, "So what does that make the middle child? Well, from what I could gather from the crying soul of your god-sister Kiara… I'm taking a wild guess and saying that Piper is the big heart. She's the one that tells the mouth to think before speaking, and the brain to speak when the need arrives to instead of taking her sweet time thinking it over. Makes enough sense for y'all?"  
  
Piper was getting ultra annoyed with this spirit. She was about to throw her hands out and freeze her, but Kiara blinked again.  
  
"This is getting us no where!" Prue hissed, her eyes on alert.  
  
"On the contrary," Kiara spoke up. She appeared again, this time, right in front of them.   
  
"My rant is actually of use. Especially for my—well, as Phoebe would say, yummy boy toys—this is time well spent." She glanced behind her, whistling, "C'mon out, fellas!"  
  
To the Charmed Ones, "Ladies, get out your pencils and get ready to take the big exam!"  
  
The Halliwell sisters took a step back, stunned by the beings making their way towards them. Phoebe's throat tightened, Prue's mind started racing, and Piper began to fear the worst.  
  
Kiara giggled wickedly. "Oh goody! What fun! Okay, first question… what happens when we take three very powerful witches and add them up with three very special men? Oh, and these men just happen to be under a very powerful spell that commands them to kill the Charmed Ones. Not to mention that if they fail, the spell cast upon them will then cause them to drop dead… quite an intriguing incantation that was set upon them actually. I am certainly impressed by it." She then looked the trance instilled men over, "Oh, one more factor that I forgot to mention, yet obviously by your reactions that you already know. These lucky, lucky fellas are very close to y'all lucky lassies. How's THAT for a challenge?" She smirked.   
  
Before Kiara blinked herself out of the proximity, she cackled, "Have fun, ladies. And try not to hurt Professor Dunn, Detective Morris, and Officer Hunt too badly."   
  
=======================================================================================  
  
"Okay, ladies…" Phoebe was in her fighting stance, yet wasn't in the mood to do so. "What do we do… ah!" She ducked as Declan threw a trash lid at her.   
  
She stared in shock at him, then glared, "Oh! You are so lucky that you are in a trance!"  
  
Michael went after Prue, swinging a bat at her. With her powers, she managed to toss it out of his hands, but he still went after her with a vengeance.   
  
Piper had to duck several times at Daryl's attempt to crush her with his bare hands.   
  
"Whoa!" She cried, "I thought boys weren't allowed to hit girls! Isn't that one of their many cardinal rules?"  
  
Prue was trying her best not to hurt Michael, yet made it difficult on herself as Michael kept right on charging at her. "If they're under a spell, I don't think that rule applies… yikes!" Prue jumped to the ground just as Michael had tossed an enormous plank of wood point blank at her.  
  
"Piper…" Phoebe fought the urge to just karate chop Declan, but remembered what Kiara had told them. "Pipe! I think that maybe this is a perfect time to… uh, FREEZE THEM!" Phoebe yelped as Declan swung another heavy object at her.  
  
"Can I do that?"   
  
"I would think so, Pipe." Prue answered, ducking another of Michael's punches.  
  
"And you better hurry, before my temptation leads to serious butt-whooping action!" Phoebe raised herself off the ground, just as Declan charged at her with a broken glass bottle.  
  
"Okay!" With a simple flick of the wrist, Piper froze the men before any serious damage, at least towards the men, was done.  
  
"Now that wasn't so bad…" Phoebe said.  
  
"What are we going to do, guys?" Prue indicated towards the three men, "I mean, the time freezing business could only go on for only a certain time limit… we have to think of something to break these guys out of that spell."  
  
"Must be a powerful spell." Phoebe thought out loud. "I mean, getting someone to kill and if one fails, they die themselves. Talk about a kamikaze incantation."  
  
"Maybe there's a spell in the Book of Shadows that can reverse this." Piper wondered.   
  
"Only one way to find out…" Phoebe looked towards the heavens, "Leo! Leo, get your heavenly butt down here!"  
  
"What a way to page him, Pheebs." Prue snickered.  
  
Just as Leo orbed in, Piper noticed a flicker of unwanted movement coming from Daryl. "Uh-oh! Time freeze!" She shot out her palm, causing time to stand still once again.  
  
Leo looked at them, not the least bit surprised by the frozen figures.   
  
Prue regarded the look, then sighed. "Leo… don't tell me you knew this would happen."  
  
"Only once Phoebe bellowed my name."  
  
"Well then, honey, I guess that we don't need to spend time going over the details."  
  
"Yeah, we just need you to go to our house, look in the Book of Shadows, and find a spell that can somehow save them." Prue ordered him.  
  
Leo sighed, then did as he was told. Not daring to contradict the Charmed Ones.  
  
Phoebe glanced back at Declan, a sad look in her eyes, "Poor Declan… I wish I could break you from this spell…"  
  
=====================================================================  
  
Fiona Phillips smiled at Carey and Annie. Carey was sitting attentively at Annie's bedside, watching her sleep.  
  
Last night was quite an ordeal… but Annie managed to come out shining bright. She was still a bit shaken over what had happened to her, but as long as she had the support and love from her extended family and friends, she knew that everything would be okay.   
  
Carey never realized just how much he cared about Annie. Over the course of her stay, she became like a best friend to him. He needed her as much as she needed him. C'mon, who else would stand up and defend him when he would play a over the top prank on Clu?   
  
Fi was glad that they had each other, and they obviously felt the exact same way.  
  
Quietly, she walked out of the hotel room, leaving them alone. Fiona was about to go and find Clu and Jack when she doubled over in pain. She clutched her stomach, the ache eating at her. When she closed her eyes, images flashed before her eyes. It was of the Charmed Ones being attacked. They were losing badly, yet for some reason, they didn't fight back. Fiona then saw who the Halliwells were up against, and gasped. She saw Declan as he grabbed Phoebe. When Fi looked at his eyes, she noticed that he was in some kind of trance as he was going up against the three witches.  
  
When the pictures stopped did Fiona's agony vanish. Fi stood up, leaning on the wall for support as she regained her breathing. "Oh my God, I have to warn them." She uttered, before running off to find them.  
  
====================================================================  
  
Leo had intended to orb himself into the Halliwell attic to get the Book of Shadows, but instead had landed in a strange room.  
  
The room looked that of a young woman's. It was then that he got the message from the Elders. Looking intently, he finally saw what he was sent to retrieve.  
  
"Jack? Clu? Are you guys in here?"  
  
Leo looked up, recognizing Fiona's voice. "Fiona!" He called out to her, holding her great-grandmother's own Book of Shadows in his hands.  
  
"Leo? What are you doing here?" Fi entered her and Annie's room on the tour bus. She looked at Leo, confused. Then her eyes spotted the book.  
  
"What are you doing with my great-grandma Fiona's spell book?"  
  
"It's very important, Fi. It has the spell that can really help Piper and her sisters."  
  
Fi's eyes widened, "Oh no! Don't tell me that they're fighting Declan who just happens to be under a weird trance."  
  
"They are…" He replied, then peered at her, "How did you know?"  
  
"I just had a vision…" She closed her eyes, trying to recall what she saw.   
  
"They were in trouble, Leo. They didn't want to fight them, and I don't know why."  
  
"That's because our friend Daryl, an officer named Michael, and Declan were put under a spell. And from what my bosses told me, there's only one spell that can lift the one on them… and it's found only in your great-grandmother's Book of Shadows."  
  
She took the book from Leo's grasp, placing it on the desk. "Then let's find it!" Fi began to search through the pages, "And since the stupid rule says that I can't get magickally involved, you're going to have to give the Charmed Ones the incantation."  
  
As she flipped through page after page, Leo softly chuckled at her look of concentration. "Do you even know what you're looking for?"  
  
"Yeah… I'm searching for a spell that can help break the one that was cast on Declan and your friends."  
  
"Do you even know what kind of spell was placed upon Declan?"  
  
Fi looked up at him, her eyes shifted as her brain dug for an answer. Smiling sheepishly, "Uh… no."  
  
Leo returned the smile, "Well, I don't know exactly either…"  
  
"What kind of white lighter are you?" She joked.  
  
"All I know, Fi, is that the beings that were put under were ordered to kill or be killed if they failed."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"Sort of like back in the day when a young man doesn't accomplish his mission and ends up dishonoring his family? They would rather have a dead son than a live one that brings only shame upon the whole clan."  
  
Fi winced, "Yikes… tough spell."  
  
"You said it… now we have to find the one that can break it."  
  
Fiona and Leo looked through each of the pages… until finally, she spotted something.  
  
"Hey, Leo. Check this out…" Fiona read the Celtic inscribed setting, "'This incantation can break a spell that had been cast upon an individual in order to do another person's bidding.'" She looked at him, "This must be it. Look it also says that it was specifically made for removing such a strong spell."  
  
Fiona reached into her desk and began to scribble down the words. "Just change the singular pronouns into plural pronouns and the Charmed Ones are set."  
  
"Excellent job, Fi." He commented proudly.   
  
Fi beamed up at him, then handed Leo the paper, "Give them my blessings, Leo."  
  
"You got it." And with that, Leo orbed back to the original scene.  
  
=====================================================================  
  
"Declan… now Declan, I-I-I really don't wanna hurt you…"   
  
Piper's time freeze had just wore off, leaving the Charmed Ones yet again facing their assassins.  
  
Phoebe backed off a numerous amount of times as Declan came after her with full force. She glanced at her sibling, "Prue! Where in the hell is Leo?!"  
  
Prue, who was busy holding off Michael, cried, "Uh, do I look like his damn keeper? Ask Piper, that's her job!"  
  
"Very funny… no, Daryl!" Piper threw up her hands, freezing Daryl just as he was about to club her over the head.  
  
"Guys! I got the spell!"   
  
The Charmed Ones glanced behind them, seeing their beloved white lighter to the rescue.  
  
"Finally!" Piper exclaimed as she also froze Michael and Declan.  
  
The Halliwell sisters gathered together, Leo joining them with Fiona's spell.  
  
"Here, this incantation was from Fiona's spell book. She wishes you guys luck."  
  
"Thanks, Leo." Prue snatched it from his hands, holding it out for her and her sisters to recite together.  
  
They looked upon the three helpless men, then began the chant.  
  
"With these words, we call upon the hour/ Set forth the light of truth, give us the power. Open their eyes so that they may see/ Look past the darkness, set them free. With our hearts, these words we hinder/ evoke thy spirits, destroy the evil, let their flame never be rekindle. So mote it be."  
  
The witches watched as their words took hold of the venomous evil inside of the men they care for. As the darkness emerged, wailing and vanishing into the sky, Declan, Daryl, and Michael fell to their knees, crying in agony over pain of their evils' banishment.  
  
"Declan!" Phoebe rushed over to him, holding him as he gasped for breath and tried to regain control of his senses.  
  
Piper and Leo ran over to Daryl, just as he collapsed from the torture, while Prue made her way to comfort Michael.  
  
"Uh, guys… Daryl's unconscious. We have to get him some medical attention." Piper said to her sisters.  
  
"Same with Michael." Prue responded, cradling his head in her arms.  
  
Declan, however, was still well aware of his pain. Phoebe tried to hush him, holding the man in her arms. "Prue… Piper… Leo… something's wrong with Declan and I can't seem to help him." She was tearing up inside, helpless that she can't do anything to heal him.  
  
Leo looked over at Prue and Piper. "You guys, go take Michael and Daryl to the hospital. I'll help Phoebe with Declan… I think the reason why he's having a hard time is because he's still battling with his own demons."  
  
While the two Halliwell witches complied to Leo's command, he made his way over to Phoebe.  
  
"What do you mean, Leo? I don't understand…" She cooed Declan, "Declan, please…"  
  
"From what we saw, it looks like whoever had cast the spell had placed some very wicked spirits to control them. If Daryl guys had failed, the spirits would just have to destroy them." He laid a hand over Declan's forehead, a light emerging from it.   
  
"I still don't understand, Leo. If that's true, why is he still haunted by them?"  
  
"Those spirits must have evoked his own personal demons. When they were destroyed, his own demons must have emerged and taken control."  
  
"So-so-so how can we help him?"  
  
Suddenly, Declan began to have a seizure, his whole body convulsing within Phoebe's arms. Her heart started to beat uncontrollably out of fear for him.   
  
"Leo! Leo, he's having a seizure!"  
  
"I know, Phoebe… but I want you to just hold him. Let him know that you're there for him. I think that's all he needs to know in order for him to regain control of himself."  
  
"Declan… don't you dare let those demons win. Fight! Please fight! And come back to me…" She held him tighter, his convulsions weakening. "I'm here for you, Declan. Remember that… come back to us…"  
  
The tighter she held him, the less Declan's body shook. A few minutes more passed, until he finally was peacefully at ease in Phoebe's arms. His breathing was light, his eyes fluttering up at her.  
  
"Phoebe?" His voice was hoarse.  
  
A small relieved laugh escaped her lips, "Declan…"  
  
His eyes finally opened wide, taking her in. He then glanced at Leo, who was beaming proudly at him. "Uh… what happened?"  
  
Phoebe laughed, then hugged him again… and not letting go anytime soon.  
  
Declan returned the hug, but still confused. "Uh, okay, Phoebe… Phoebe… Pheebs, you can, like, let go now… I mean, as much as I love a hug from you, I sort of need to breath… Phoebe?"  
  
  



	13. THE CHALLENGES: Clu & Jack

THE CHALLENGES: CLU and JACK  
  
Clu was waiting patiently for Fiona to return from the hospital. Jack had accompanied her there when he found out about what had happened with the Charmed Ones. Fi wanted to check up on them, and Jack wanted to make sure that Prue was all right.  
  
"Clu?" Molly walked over to him, placing a kind hand on his shoulder. She glanced at the hotel swimming pool, then at the young man. "Don't you want to go in for a swim?"  
  
"Nah… don't exactly feel like swimming, Mrs. P."  
  
"So…" She sat across from him. She had noticed that Clu was all alone without his band of merry teens, hanging out by the pool. He was gazing into the blue, deep in thought.   
  
"So…" He said as well.  
  
"Clu, are you okay? Are you and Fi okay?" Molly was worried at first when her daughter became involved with Clu. Oh, she loved Clu like a son and wanted nothing more than to see the two happy together… but there was a lot of things to consider if they were to one day break-up, especially if the terms were not too friendly.  
  
Clu smiled simply at Molly, "I'm okay. And don't worry about us. I love your daughter, Mrs. P."  
  
"I know you do, sweetheart." She placed a gentle hand on his, "I was just being a concerned mother."  
  
He gave her a half smile, before retreating back into his silence. Molly knew that something was bothering him. In fact, she had a feeling something major was going on with her children, Irene's sons, and Annie… but none of them were letting up on the truth. The only thing Molly knew of was of the passing of Kiara Lance… was that the reason why the young people were acting so aloof and secretive these days?  
  
"So how are you feeling these days, Clu? I mean, I know Kiara's death really affected you kids and—"  
  
Clu suddenly became tense at the mention of Kiara's name. He averted Molly's gaze, staring more intently at the chlorine-filled pool.   
  
"Uh, Mrs. P? I'm really tired right now… maybe we can talk about this later?" He faced her, trying his best to put on a good facade.   
  
Molly took in his features, attempting to distinguish the truth from the disguise. She knew something was definitately up if Irene's son had to lie at her point-blank… Clu was as bad at lying as Jack was. Slowly, she nodded, deciding to give him some space and time. She got up, and smiled at Clu.  
  
"Okay, Clu. But if you want to talk about anything—and I mean anything—I'm here for you."  
  
He nodded, putting on his best smile. "It's a deal, Mrs. P."  
  
As she walked away, Molly made it a personal point to have a serious talk with the kids while on their way to Los Angeles.  
  
=====================================================================  
  
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Boy," Clu murmured out loud, "That was a close call…"  
  
"I'll say."  
  
Clu leapt to his feet, spun around, and gasped at the sight before him. He was about to say the *true name*, when she held up her finger.  
  
"Uh-uh… don't make me repeat the same thing that was probably said to death a thousand times." Novania, still in Kiara's body, said.  
  
"You know, why don't you get your own body and leave Kiara's alone?" He glared at her, his hand itching to use his powers.  
  
She smiled coyly at him, her eyes slyly wondered from his face, to his hands, then back to his face. "Well, it's probably the same reason why you're just dying to send me into the very luke warm pool… we have magick."  
  
"No… you don't have the power within you. It's Kiara's magick, you're just using it for your own gain."  
  
Kiara smirked, "Well I'll be…" Taking on a southern California accent, "Dude's got himself a totally sweet vocabulary! No possible way!"  
  
"Yes way." Clu replied, becoming more angered by the vixen's mocking. "Now, why are you here?"  
  
"What? Can't stand to hang with your friend Kiara? I am so wounded, Clu." She snickered, but suddenly changed her expressions. Almost doing a total one-eighty, she sat down and looked at him like the real Kiara would look at anyone with total trust.  
  
"No, seriously, Clu… I just want to talk with you. Y'know, have a real conversation like you humans do with your pals."  
  
"But you're not my pal. Kiara is."  
  
"If you give me a chance, Clu, I can be Kiara."  
  
That statement caused the young man to turn red with anger. Gritting his teeth, he growled, "I'm going to give you five seconds to leave, spirit. Or else, I'll say your true name."  
  
Kiara looked up at him, unfazed by his threat. "You wouldn't."  
  
"Yes, I would." He stared down at her, hoping that she would cave in. Unfortunately, she wasn't backing down at all.  
  
Clearing his throat, "Okay… don't believe me? Begone from this mortal for—"  
  
"I can save Fiona!" Kiara shouted, interrupting him and catching his total attention.  
  
"What?!"  
  
"I can save her from the dark forces' vengeance."  
  
"I don't believe you." Clu responded, crossing his arms.  
  
"Oh believe me, buddy… with what I know and with what I can tell you, your Fiona is up against a lot more than the once brightest star himself."   
  
Clu sat himself across from her, looking into her eyes. When he gazed into them, he was startled to find Novania's dark and torturous soul inside. From what he saw, and from what she just revealed, Clu had this feeling that he should take what she says into consideration.  
  
"What do you want?" He eyed her suspiciously, for he knew that there had to be a catch.  
  
"Here's the deal, Bell. Plain and simple." She stood up in her chair, business-like. "All they really want is her powers. Her powers are the true roots of their fear. Not the girl with the powerful magickal abilities… but the prowess themselves. They could care less about the girl. Heck, they'd even go after that blond human you call Britney Spears if she had what Fiona has." Dropping her voice low, "What it all comes down to is this, they are willing to spare Fiona's life in exchange for her powers."  
  
"Are you kidding me?" Clu replied, still doubtful, yet intrigued non the less.  
  
"No joke, Clu…" Her facial expressions changed again as she gulped the next words out of her mouth. "And… as much as I'd hate to give up this wonderful human form, they're willing to give back Kiara's body and soul."  
  
"Why are you telling me this?" Clu felt uneasy about this whole conversation. Boy he wished Fiona was here with him right now. She would know what to do. "Why not talk to Fi?"  
  
"Because you're probably the only one who can get her to agree to the transfer of powers."  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
Kiara sighed, "See, they have a certain process on how to obtain Fiona's powers without actually having to *terminate* her. But the main thing that really makes the whole transition work is if she is willing to give up her magick."  
  
He fell silent, taking what Novania had said into really deep consideration. Was this for real? If Novania was telling the truth, could his Fiona be spared? Not to mention the chance for Kiara to be free, both body and soul. So many questions, only two options.  
  
"Think about it, Clu. Fiona wouldn't have to live her life always having to watch her back. She wouldn't have to suffer the agony of watching the people she loves the most go through hell because of her. No demons, no evil spirits, myself included. No having to chase the unknown and run the risk of getting hurt… or even killed along the way. Fiona would have the chance to live a long and normal life… keep in mind the word 'long,' Clu. She could die of old age due to natural causes, not young and due to mysterious circumstances beyond her control."   
  
She got up, still facing him. "Clu, help me. Help us get Fiona the normal life she deserves." With a sly smile, she added, "And help your friend Kiara return from the dead. So many people would love to have her back. And I know that you and Fi are just two of so much more that would love for that to happen."   
  
The woman held her hand out, as if to seal the arrangement. "So what do you say? You in?"   
  
In the back of Clu's mind, he heard a small voice telling him that he shouldn't shake hands with the devil—or in this case, she-devil. This felt so wrong… yet it sounds so tempting and so right. He loved Fiona so much that he would do anything to see her happy. Did he love her enough to give her back the normalcy of everyday life? To be rid of the chance of her dying at the hands of vengeful spirits?  
  
He looked at Kiara's expected face. She was waiting for his answer… and he simply gave it to her.  
  
"No."  
  
"What?" Her eyes turned crossed, almost in disbelief, anger and shock.  
  
"You heard me, Nov. N. O. No." He stood firm with his choice, and dared her to convince him otherwise.  
  
She was silent for a while, taking in his answer. Then she shot back with, "Don't you love her? Are you willing to see her die for something that means less than her own life?"  
  
"I do love her. And no, I don't want to see her die… but I would rather her die fighting than her living life unhappily, and she would if she lost her powers to the forces of darkness. She wouldn't want them to have her gift. She was born with it, and she will die with it."  
  
"You do not know just how true that statement is, Clu Bell." She growled. Before vanishing again, she faced him one last time.   
  
"Oh, and Fiona won't be the only witch to die very soon… Kiara will keep Fi company in the spirit world."  
  
Clu watched as she disappeared. His whole being was telling him that what he did was right… so why did he feel like he had lost everything?  
  
====================================================================  
  
Jack was just tired, plain and simple. He leaned back on his hotel bed, thinking back on the day's events.  
  
He and Fi had just returned moments ago from visiting Prue and her sisters at the hospital. Jack was way concern about, and was especially relieved to see her still alive and full of life. A grin appeared on his face as he remembered just how flustered Prue got around Michael, and when she tried to explain how she knew him to Jack.   
  
When he and his sister came back from the visit, Fiona wanted to find Clu and spend some much deserved time with him. Jack couldn't agree more, for he needed to get some shut eye after last night's sleepless night of worrying about Annie's accident. Now, more than ever, he wanted to terminate that Novania and help bring Kiara back.  
  
Just as he was about to get some sleep, someone decided to pay him a little visit.  
  
"Knock, knock. Guess who?"  
  
He glanced up, then bolted up right, glaring at the presence with hatred.   
  
"I suggest you leave now, Novan—"  
  
Kiara held up her hand, "Don't, Jackers, alright? I came to talk about saving Fiona, okay?"  
  
Jack held his hand up, palm out. He could feel the sensation of electricity surging through him, ready to bolt out at his command. "Save it, Nov. You leave, or I swear that I'll knock you out of Kiara's body myself."  
  
"You wouldn't." She sneered, then mumbled to herself, "Boy, deja vu."  
  
"Try me." He threatened. "You've got ten seconds to leave."  
  
"You know, I just cannot figure out why you humans have a hard time trusting me…"  
  
"Are you that much of a twisted spirit as to actually see no fault in what you've done?"  
  
"What is it with you humans and your way of speaking? It's like once you obtain great magickal powers, your speech becomes more refine… eloquent even. I feel like I've gone back in time to the days of yore…" Kiara smirked.  
  
"You've just wasted your precious seconds, spirit. Don't tell me that I didn't warn you." His attention was probed on her, his energy pulsating and aiming to fire at her with a vengeance.  
  
"I can bring him back. I can bring your father back… and help keep Fiona alive."  
  
His hand twitched, feeling the urge to push back his energy for a moment. "What?"  
  
Kiara snickered, "You heard me, Jack. I can bring your father back, save Fiona… and for an extra bonus, why not return Kiara back to the world of the living?"  
  
"You're lying."  
  
"Do I look like the type that would lie to you…" She stopped as Jack gave her this look. Laughing silently to herself, "Oh, yes… don't answer that."  
  
Jack felt the electricity start to boil within him. His palm facing out, firm and ready to fire, "I'm tired of your games, spirit."  
  
"What games, Phillips?" She blinked, then reappeared on the bed next to Jack. "Think about it… I have nothing left to lose—"  
  
"But a lot to gain if I fall for your trap."  
  
"Jack," Kiara faced him, Novania's eyes staring at him intently. "I know how much you miss your father. It's not easy being the man of the house, is it? You need a father figure… but he was unfairly taken away from you and your baby sister so many years ago." She lowered her voice, "I can change that. I can change the past. Prevent Rick's death… and alter your future for the best. Think about it, Jack."  
  
His eyes softened at the memory of his dad. He felt his whole tense and guarded exterior collapse as he considered the possibilities over Novania's offer.  
  
Novania knew that she was successfully reeling this fish in. With a cunning, seductive smile, she began to make her offer sound even more sweeter. "Think about it. Your parents could be recording their new album together, and doing music that will be able to reach others. Your sister wouldn't be exploring the supernatural like she used to do. Keeping herself out of harm's way. If I change the past, Fiona wouldn't have to deal with this life threatening ordeal."   
  
She licked her lips, noticing just how tempted Jack was over this. "I bet you're wondering what needs to be done to obtain all this, aren't ya, Jack?"  
  
He gulped, speaking slowly and cautiously. "I, uh, it has crossed my mind…"  
  
"It's pretty simple, Jack." Grinning at him with a cat-like smile, "Just talk Fiona into giving up her powers forever."  
  
He stared at her, disbelieving. "Give up her powers?"  
  
"That's what they really want. What they really fear, Jack. Not Fiona herself… but her powers. And since part of the bargain is to keep Fi alive, my bosses have this easy procedure on how to obtain it without having to resort to killing the lass."  
  
Kiara stood up, letting what she had told Jack sink in. Patting him on the shoulder, "Tell you what, I'll give you until midnight tonight to consider my offer. No pressure. Just think it through…" As she walked away from him, she then added, "Her life is in your hands, Jack. If you work with me, she will live. You won't have to lose another loved one…" With that, Kiara disappeared, leaving Jack with his thoughts.  
  
  
==============================================================================================================  
  
LATER THAT EVENING  
  
Jack just laid on his bed, thinking deeply. He had gotten a call from Prue, informing him that an emergency meeting was being called for tonight. They had needed to go over the day's events and everyone's status. He had declined, saying that he was too tired to make it that night, but he'll talk to Fiona about it later. He just needed to think about… well, stuff. No… make that, stuff that has to do with Novania's offer.  
  
Why didn't he just flat out tell Novania to get lost? Why didn't he just tell her that there was no way he'd ever make a deal with the devil's advocate?  
  
"Because you wanted to believe in the positive side to Novania's sweet offer." He mumbled to himself.  
  
"What offer?"   
  
Jack looked towards the door, startled by Clu's voice. He smiled sheepishly, trying to regain composure. "Uh… nothing, Clu. Why'd you ask?"  
  
"Because you were just mumbling to yourself a few seconds ago. Something about an offer?" Clu didn't like the look on Jack's face. He knew his best friend was hiding something from him… and in this critical time, it wouldn't be wise for any of them to keep secrets from each other.  
  
"So what are you doing here? Thought you left with Fi to the Halliwells'?"  
  
Clu shrugged, "Thought I'd check up on you for a bit. Dropped Fiona off, told her that I'd baby-sit you and then go back." He laughed a little, noticing that Jack smiled a bit himself. The young man looked thoughtfully at his friend, "So, what offer were you just mumbling about a few seconds ago?"  
  
"I was just thinking…" He grinned that smooth grin again, "Just thinking about that *offer* Prue gave me… y'know, to, uh, hang out with her and this Michael dude tomorrow."  
  
Clu looked his friend over, his intuition crying "Liar." He looked down, sighed, then faced Jack sternly in the eye. "Novania made you an offer, didn't she?"  
  
Jack gulped… how'd he know? He stared back at his friend, blankly. "I… I don't know what you mean, Clu."  
  
"You're not lying to me, are you, Jack?"  
  
"What do I have to gain if I start lying to you now?" Jack had to be careful with his words. A part of him wanted to admit to his best friend the truth, but…  
  
Clu had a weird feeling that Jack was keeping something from him. He walked over to his bed, sitting himself down. Sighing, he knew that the only way his best friend would open up to him is if he opened up himself. Especially with what he knew Jack might want to hear. "She made me an offer too, Jack."  
  
"What offer?"   
  
Clu chuckled to himself at Jack's blank reaction. *Boy, Jack's acting has improved.* "She promised Fi's life if I helped her coax Fiona into giving up her powers. Novania said that if Fi gave up her magick, the evil spirits will leave her alone and won't kill her."   
  
He hoped that it might ring a bell for Jack… but one couldn't tell by the void look in his eyes and expression. "So what did you say?"  
  
Carefully watching him, "I told her that I wouldn't help her. I couldn't do that to Fiona." With a small smile, "Besides, think of all the adventures we could have with Fi's powers?"  
  
Jack grinned at his friend, "You did a good thing, Clu. Turning down Novania's offer like that."  
  
It was eating Clu up knowing that Jack was straight-out keeping something from him. "So, did she make the same offer?"  
  
Clu wanted to strangle Jack, or at least knock some sense into him when he replied very calmly, "No. I haven't seen her since the attic incident with Carey."  
  
He nodded, not saying a word. Clu then got up and headed towards the door. He needed to get out, to calm down from this unexplainable anger he was beginning to feel towards Jack. He couldn't remember a time he was still upset with his friend, but with something this critical happening to every single one of them, it would be stupid for anyone to keep secrets from each other.  
  
"Clu? Where are you going?"  
  
Not looking directly at Jack, for fear that he would seriously let loose his temper, "Gonna join the gang. I'll see ya later Jack." With that, he left his best friend to his thoughts.  
  
====================================================================  
  
As he watched Clu leave, Jack had gotten the feeling that he was upset with him. Of course, who could blame him? With the way he was acting, not to mention not being able to trust him with the truth… Jack would be upset with himself even more than he was already!  
  
"So have you decided yet, Jackers?"   
  
Jack spun around, meeting eye-to-eye with Novania's soul. Eyeing her suspiciously, "What are you doing here? I thought you'd give me until midnight to decide?"  
  
With a straight face, "I lied."  
  
"So what else is new?"  
  
She walked over to Clu's bed, sitting herself down. "So… what's your decision, Mr. Phillips? Are you going to help me with Fiona's powers?" Grinning cunningly at him, "Help me save your sister from destruction, bring back your father from the grave, as well as Kiara?"  
  
Jack gulped, wanting to stall time for a bit. "You didn't tell me that you made a similar offer with Clu."  
  
"Well," She gazed down at her nails, "If he didn't turn me down, we wouldn't be having this conversation." Novania then smirked, "Speaking of our Clu Bell… a new thought just crossed my mind. Do you like your sister dating your best friend?"  
  
"What does that have to do with the offer?" He knew that he had brought up Clu only for his advantage of stalling, but he had no idea that Novania could use that against him.  
  
"Think about it, Phillips. It was Fiona's sense of paranormal adventure and extreme conviction and dedication for the truth that made Clu fall in love with her. He was first attracted to her spirit and then to her looks—which I might say is very rare these days among the courting of young people."  
  
Jack needed to sit down, her words causing him to become really dizzy. "So what you're saying is that if Fi was just a normal teeny-bopper teenager, Clu and Fi wouldn't be dating right now?"  
  
"Oh, they would have dated, but broken up after a few months. Unless you change things, Jack, Clu will be your new brother-in-law. Don't you know that those two are soul mates? But as I said, if you help me, I can change all that."  
  
"Are you insinuating that I wouldn't love the idea of Clu being my brother-in-law?"  
  
"If I know you as much as I do, I believe that you love Fiona a lot. That the thought of sharing her with a beach bum like Bell is totally disgusting. Bearable for her sake, but you have to admit that he couldn't really take care of her."  
  
Novania knew she struck a nerve by bringing Clu into the equation, but she had to strike with anything in order to accomplish her task.  
  
Jack fell into silence for what seemed like eternity. He really thought better against it, but something inside of him practically begged him to take the deal. Looking straight at Novania, "I help you, you promise—and I mean it when I say that you promise—to help Fiona. To save her life…"  
  
"I'll do more than that, Jack. Just like I said, I'll give Fiona her freedom, bring your father back, and help free Kiara."  
  
His heart was beating heavily, his mind racing with sudden thoughts and images, his entire body shaking with fear as he slowly reached out his hand and uttering the one word that could very well make or break him.  
  
"Deal."  
  
  
  



	14. Jack's Lie

JACK'S LIE  
  
THAT SAME NIGHT  
  
"Okay, I have an idea." Phoebe placed the tea tray down on the living room table. She looked at everyone, minus Clu and Jack. The Wiccan reached deep into her pockets, then pulled out a crystal talisman. Smiling, "This little baby will help us find Kiara."  
  
Fiona grinned at Phoebe, knowing what the bubbly witch was getting at. "That's brilliant, Phoebe! Why didn't we think of that before?"  
  
"What's brilliant, Fi?" Carey looked at the young woman, confused. He glanced at Annie, who was gently sitting next to him. Ever since that little "window incident", Carey hasn't let Annie out of his sight or arm's length. This major sense of protectiveness has overpowered him, causing him to want to play Mel Gibson to this Whitney Houston. Annie didn't mind too much, for she was extra glad that he cared this much to want to "take care" of her… heck, she can reap in the major advantages to having Carey Bell as her bodyguard!  
  
Piper looked over at Carey, also knowing Phoebe's idea. "We can be able to locate Kiara through her powers using a talisman like what Phoebe's holding."  
  
Carey nodded his head, "Oh… it's a magick thing… I think that I'll let you guys do all the hocus-pocus work. Call me up though when and if you need someone for the actual manual labor non mystical type of work. That I could do." He smiled jokingly, causing Annie to giggle.  
  
The Charmed Ones and Fiona smiled at him, though just as amused by his little joke as Declan, Leo, and Jimmy were as they rolled their eyes at him.  
  
"What?" He stared at them blankly.  
  
"Guys!" Someone was knocking at the door. "Hello?"  
  
"Coming, Clu." Prue said, recognizing the voice. She walked over to answer, letting the young man in. Grinning at him, "Hey." Prue looked outside, then at him. "You didn't convince Jack to join us?"  
  
His face was tight as he recalled his friend, "Don't even go there with me, Prue."  
  
"What's the matter with Jack, Clu?" She grasped his arm, worried, "Something's up with him. Something wrong?"  
  
Clu looked at her, then glanced around. He noted that Fiona was in the living room, setting up a map on the coffee table with Piper and Phoebe. He focused on Prue again, who was really concerned about Jack. Pulling her aside, he began to explain what had happened with Jack, and his own encounter with Novania. When he was done, Prue was deep in concentration.   
  
Finally, she looked up at Clu, extremely troubled. "You don't think that she made the same offer, did she? You don't especially think that our Jack would even consider such a thing?"  
  
Sighing, "I don't know, Prue. When I left, I had this bad feeling that Jack was more than considering the deal. I think that maybe he's going to accept it."  
  
Prue shook her head, "No. Jack wouldn't. Not our Jack. He's too responsible and careful not to make a deal that extreme. That life threatening."  
  
"And normally, he wouldn't Prue. But his sister's life is on the line, and maybe everyone else that he loves. When Jack vows to protect his family and kill to keep them safe, he would do anything." Clu spoke, mixed emotions within his voice. He was not only saddened by that thought, but impressed by the fact itself.  
  
"Even sell his own soul to the devil."  
  
=====================================================================  
  
OUTSIDE OF THE HALLIWELL MANOR  
  
Jack stared up at the house nervously. He glanced at Kiara's body holding Novania's soul. The woman seemed extremely confidant about the plan.  
  
"What if I can't convince her to give up her powers willingly?" He asked, placing his hands in his jean pockets, fidgeting with fear of failing.   
  
She looked him over, taking note of his jumpy exterior. "First off, chill." Novania then glanced up at the manor, "Second, here." She reached into her own pockets, handing him something carefully. "Watch it, wouldn't want to get your blood by mistake."  
  
He gazed down, confused. "What's this?"  
  
"For our little Wiccan." She looked into his eyes, sending a chill down his back as she said, "You have to prick her with that needle and get her blood for me."  
  
Jack's eyes widened, "What?! You want her blood?! Why?!"  
  
She reached out her hand, cupping his mouth to silence him. Hissing, "Shut-up, Phillips! Do you want the whole universe to hear you?"  
  
With his free hand, he removed her hand from his mouth. His voice low, yet still not amused by the whole situation. "Well would you mind telling me why exactly do I have to get my sister's blood? Since when does this have to do with our deal?"  
  
Novania yanked her hand from his grasp. She then softly chuckled, smiling slyly at him, "Oops. Didn't I explain to you about how my bosses rejected my original plan and how they gave me an even better one?"  
  
He stared daggers at her, not at all happy about what he was now hearing. "Nov… start explaining."  
  
"Well, they decided that the original 'Ask politely' plan was too… well, wimpy for their standards."  
  
"So they want to get her powers by force?!"  
  
Again, her hand shot out and clamped it over his mouth. "Ssshh!" Slowly removing it, "Not by force." She noticed this look on Jack's face. One of possible deep doubt and regret at promising to help her steal his own sister's powers. Sighing, feeling a bit sorry towards him, "Listen, Jack. This spell won't hurt her. The only vital ingredient they need is her blood. They don't even need that much, just a small droplet is enough." She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, which was so totally out of her character, "I made a promise, didn't I?"  
  
"Yeah, but you always lie." His eyes meeting hers.  
  
Correcting him, "True, I may lie… but I make it my personal responsibility to always keep my promises."  
  
For once since this whole thing started, when Jack took a good look at Novania, he actually saw that Leo was right when he said that Novania had a heart. Smiling, putting his hand on top of hers, "You do have a heart, Nov."  
  
Her face softened, as did the windows to her soul. She looked down at his hand, feeling a part of herself become warm by the compassionate human contact. However, the part of her bad self seemed to wake up. Novania took back her hand, partly pretending to be disgusted by Jack's gestures.   
  
"Yeah… whatever you say, Phillips." She cleared her throat, feigning a cough. She didn't dare glance back at him, fear of falling back to her soft side. Instead, she looked up at the house.  
  
Jack smiled to himself, finding her behavior amusing. He then glanced back at the needle in his hand, staring at it doubtfully. "So I just have to prick her with this needle and…"  
  
"That's it." Her eyes still on the lit manor. "They'll do the rest."  
  
"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" He gulped, slowly beginning to make his way up.  
  
Slowly following him, "What did you expect when you decided to team up with an evil spirit? Flowers and fairy sprinkles?"  
  
=====================================================================  
  
MEANWHILE INSIDE  
  
The Charmed Ones and Fiona were hunched over the coffee table, staring down at the map. Fiona had the honor of using the talisman to find Novania. Using what they know about witchcraft, they decided that since Kiara's powers were active, and since Novania had Kiara's powers, they could find Novania and maybe find Kiara's spirit as well.  
  
Leo and Clu emerged from the kitchen, carrying the drinks for the ladies.   
  
"How's it going?" Clu asked, gazing over Fiona's shoulders. Fi didn't respond, she was silently concentrating at the task at hand.  
  
"I hope it works." Carey whispered to Annie. He looked back over at them when he felt an assuring hand squeeze. Glancing down, he smiled at Annie.  
  
"It will, Carey. Fiona will succeed."  
  
"Oh my God! Look!" Fiona cried, pointing at the talisman and the place where it located itself on. The crystal stone was placing its energy on that sole area, so they knew that it must be the exact location where Kiara, or at least Novania, is at.  
  
Piper gazed at the map, looking at the pin-point of the crystal's location. Her eyes widened in shock, "Uh, guys… you better take a look at the street address."  
  
Her sisters took a good look as well, also having a similar response. "That's our street!" They both exclaimed at once.  
  
"Guys…" Annie had gotten up, with Carey right next to her. She had a bad vibe running through her the moment Fiona had exclaimed having found the pin-point area. She made her way towards the hall, and her eyes rested on a lone figure right outside the door.  
  
"Guys…" She said again, "Someone's outside."  
  
Carey released his hand grip on Annie. He took a deep breathe, then decided to go and see who it was. Annie saw what he was going to do, and quickly took hold of his hand.  
  
"Be careful, Carey." She said, concern in her blue eyes.  
  
"Don't worry, Annie." Carey smiled reassuringly, even though he could feel tight knots in his stomach. He turned back to face the door, slowly making his way towards it.  
  
Fiona kept her gaze steady, unaware that the crystal talisman that was steady balancing in its place began to teeter.  
  
Carey placed his hand on the door knob, ready to swing it open. Taking one deep breath, he silently counted down…  
  
"1… 2… 3!" He swung open the door, revealing…  
  
"Oh!" Jack spun around, a bit caught off guard. Smiling sheepishly at Carey, and then at the others, "Oh, hey guys. Can I crash this party?"  
  
Fiona breathed a sigh of relief at the sight and sound of her brother. She glanced down at the talisman and saw that it had fallen flat on the surface. She looked at it, confused. "Huh? Weird."  
  
=====================================================================  
  
Jack couldn't do it. He knew that he had to, but fear and guilt were eating up at him. Novania's words echoed through his soul, which brought even more emotional distress.  
  
He glanced at his sister, who was still concentrating at finding Novania. Prue had remained with Fi, while her sisters took a mental break.   
  
*You have to do it, Phillips.* Jack stood up from his chair, a bit startled by the voice. He looked around him until the familiar voice spoke again.  
  
*Don't even bother, Jackers. It's me, your favorite neighborhood spirit.*  
  
"Novania." He breathed silently as possible. His eyes darted towards his hands, avoiding eye contact with anyone else in the room. "What is it, Nov?" He mumbled, but sending out the mental message loud and clear.  
  
*Just gonna make sure you do your job, boy. Whether you like it or not, you made a deal with me and you must keep it. Or else, your sister is doomed.*  
  
"I heard you once. Now leave me alone and let me do it." He mumbled again, but this time causing Clu and Leo to look his way. Jack glanced up, noticing their stares. He grinned innocently, shrugging, "Just recalling the trillion errands my mom wants me to do once we're back on the road."  
  
Leo kept his focus on Jack for a while, then decided to check up on his suspicions later. Clu also followed suite, except that he removed his watch a minute after Leo's.  
  
Jack gazed down at the tiny syringe. His stomach began to do a couple more flips. To say that he was extremely nervous was such an understatement. Finally, he sighed and made his way towards his sister. He might as well get it over with. The sooner the better, right?  
  
"Hey, bro." Fi glanced up, smiling at him. She then focused back on the map, unsuspecting her brother's true intent.  
  
Prue also looked up at Jack as he stood on his sister's left side. "Hey, Jack. Care to help us search for Novania?"  
  
He gave them a small smile, shaking his head. "Nah… I'll leave that up to the pros." Jack ran a hand through his hair, trying to act as if nothing was wrong. While Fiona and Prue worked on finding Novania, Jack placed a brotherly arm around Fi.  
  
Fi beamed up at her brother, glad that ever since this whole incident, they managed to grow closer and become extremely dependent with each other.  
  
Jack glanced down, his right arm around his sister while his left hand handled the tiny needle oh so carefully and secretively. His eyes strayed up at Prue, watching her. Prue was keeping her eyes on the map, not looking up at all. She was just as unaware of Jack's movements as Fi was.  
  
Quickly as possible, with lightning speed, he pierced the needle into Fi's left arm, then removed it from her flesh and stuck it into his jacket pocket. His blood was pumping extremely fast. His heart especially quickened when Fiona jumped at the needle's contact.  
  
"Ouch!" She flinched, then gazed down at her arm. Fi glanced at her brother, "Did you just pinch me, Jack?"  
  
He looked down at her, somewhat dazed. "Huh? What?"  
  
Fi rubbed her arm, "You pinched me!"  
  
Acting defensive as always, "I did not!" He removed his arm around her, then crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Why would I pinch you?"  
  
Jack had to force all his inner strength to put up this facade. It was killing him to have to lie to his sister. Of all people he couldn't stand to keep secrets from her.   
  
Fiona looked confused, still rubbing her sore. "So that wasn't you?"  
  
"No."   
  
She gave him a once over, then shrugged to herself. "Must have been a mosquito or something."  
  
Prue kept her eyes on the interaction between siblings. She was smiling at first at the two, but she suddenly sensed that something was wrong. Especially with Jack.  
  
"Jack? Are you okay?"  
  
He was about to respond to Prue when… *Careful what you say, Jacky-boy.*  
  
Jack gulped as he heard the silent message. He smiled shyly at the girls, trying to act as cool as possible. "Listen… Fi, I forgot to run one more errand for mom." Slowly, he made his way towards the door, "I'll see you guys back at the hotel, okay?"  
  
"What? Jack… wait…" Fiona attempted to stop her brother, wanting him to stay.  
  
Unfortunately, the young man had already left the Halliwell house. Fi glanced at Prue, sighing. "Is it just me, or is my brother acting weirder than usual?"  
  
"Your definition of 'weird' or mine?" Phoebe responded for Prue, placing a sisterly arm around the young woman.   
  
====================================================================  
  
"Novania! Nov!" Jack stepped outside, scanning the yard for Kiara.  
  
"Any louder, boyfriend. Don't think the witches heard you." She leaped out of the shadows, her eyes glistening in the moon light. Kiara glanced at the door, still smirking, "Nope. Haven't stormed out yet."  
  
He removed the micro syringe from his pocket, holding it within the palm of his hand.   
  
A wicked smile emerged on her face, "Excellent!" She attempted to grab it from him, but he enclosed it within his palm.  
  
"Nothing happens to her. That's the deal, right?"  
  
"Dude," Kiara placed an arm around him, "Nothin' is the word!"  
  
"Fi is left alone, I get my dad back, and Kiara is returned in exchange for Fiona's powers. That was the deal. You promised." He kept his eyes on her, daring her to take it back.  
  
Her eyes held his, "A promise is a promise." Holding out her hand, "Now, why don't you keep your end of the bargain, and I'll keep mines."  
  
If it wasn't for that mischievous grin on her face, Jack would have felt completely at ease with the deal. Reluctantly, he handed over the needle.  
  
As he did so, both Kiara and Jack gasped for breath, startled by the flash of images engulfing them. Once the premonitions were over, Jack's eyes met Kiara's angrily.   
  
"You lied to me."  
  
=====================================================================  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	15. Dangerous Turn

DANGEROUS TURN  
  
She could feel it in her blood. The time is near. As the wake of the midnight hour approaches, the Mistress of Night began to set the spell. She has been waiting for this since the birth of young Angel… and now the evils of darkness will finally fall into place. All she has to do now is wait for…  
  
"One pinch of Wiccan blood, my Mistress."   
  
The Mistress turned around, grinning triumphantly at the spirit in Kiara Lance's body.   
  
"Well done, Novania." She purred, holding her palm out for the syringe.  
  
Kiara walked proudly into the darkened room. She stopped, briefly glancing at the Mistress's warlock husband, Wispbane.   
  
The Mistress smirked at Novania's hesitancy, "Don't worry, Novania. He won't bite."  
  
"I'm not afraid of his bite, Mistress." She answered, eyes still on the shadowy figure in the corner of the room, "It's his dark heart that I fear."  
  
"Mine's just as deadly, spirit. It should be my intentions to fear, not his." Hand still outstretched, growing anxious, "Now, give me her blood."  
  
Novania took one last look at Wispbane, then her eyes strayed onto the sleeping child next to the Mistress.   
  
The Mistress's smile began to waiver for a moment as suspicions began to stir within her. Something was wrong with Novania. She especially didn't like the way she was beginning to eye Angel.  
  
Novania's gaze focused on the child, then made its way back up to Angel's mother. Feigning a smile, "What is it, master?"  
  
"What of my daughter that has caught your interest, Novania?" She moved towards the lady, slow and steady.  
  
"Nothing, Mistress."  
  
"Don't lie to me, Novania." She hissed, her growing anger evident in her silky voice. "I can see it in your eyes. What are you thinking about in that evil little mind of yours, spirit?"  
  
Novania took a step back, a flicker of fear in her eyes. "Nothing wicked, master. I swear!" Indicating to Angel, "I was just thrown off by the fact that Angel was in the room. I would assume that she would be sound asleep in her bed like any sleeping child would be at this hour of night."  
  
"You know better that Angel is not like any child, Novania. And you know that now more than ever I would never leave my little girl's side. It is too dangerous." With each step towards Novania, the spirit took a step back. It continued like this until Novania was literally backed into a corner.  
  
"You have betrayed me, haven't you Novania?" The Mistress accused, knowing that this was bound to happen.  
  
She shook her head, trying to laugh. "M-m-m-me? N-n-n-never!" Novania smiled, "Why would I?" She looked the Mistress in the eye, "I know the price to pay if I betray you."  
  
"And only a fool would do such a thing." Wispbane chimed in.  
  
"A *dead* fool." His wife said, her eyes not daring to falter from Novania's.   
  
Novania gulped, her hand playing with the syringe delicately.   
  
"Give me the young witch's blood, Novania. Or else I will pry it out of your cold dead hands myself."  
  
Novania nodded, doing as she was told.   
  
Once the Mistress had the needle in her grasp, a cool smile appeared on her face. Meeting eyes with Novania, "You just saved me the chance from performing a spell I could have used on one of my worst enemies, Novania."  
  
Novania squirmed herself from the suffocating corner. She found herself dashing to the doorway, complete with fright. But why? For the first time in her life, Novania actually felt the beating of a scared heart.  
  
=================================================================  
  
Phoebe was staring intently at the map, sisterly arms around Fiona, when her premonitions hit her like a ton of bricks.  
  
"Phoebe?!" Fiona gasped, reaching to grab hold of Phoebe as the witch stumbled back from shock.  
  
When it was over, her eyes were on Fi, concerned for her. "Oh my God! Jack!"  
  
"What?!" Fi grasped Phoebe's hands, "What about Jack? You saw something about my brother? Is he in trouble?" Questions were dropping like bombs.  
  
Clu raced to Fi's side, placing his hands on her shoulders, "Fiona, relax! Calm down and let Phoebe take a breath."  
  
Prue went to her sister's side, as did Declan, helping to steady her. Prue too was extremely concerned about what Phoebe had seen about Jack.   
  
Once she caught her breath, Phoebe began to describe what she saw. "It was Jack… and he was with Kiara. But not the Kiara we know. It was Novania… and I think they were making some kind of deal."   
  
Clu met eyes with Prue, both thinking the same thing. He looked at Phoebe, waiting for her to continue.  
  
"And she handed him, like, this needle thing."  
  
"A needle?" Fi was confused. This wasn't making any sense.  
  
"And then I saw you… and he had pricked the needle into your arm when you weren't looking…"  
  
Realization dawned on Fiona, much to her dismay. "That was him…" Her eyes strayed onto Clu.  
  
"And then I saw him giving the needle back to Kiara…" Phoebe continued.  
  
Anger, hurt, and confusion began to boil within Clu. He gazed down at Fi and noticed that she too was just as confused. "He lied to me." Clu growled, catching Fiona's attention.  
  
"What?" She looked up at him.  
  
Much to his own sadness, he told Fiona of his earlier conversation with Novania and then with Jack. When he was done, Fi shook her head in disbelief.  
  
"Why would he do such a thing? Jack wouldn't agree to such a thing. I know my brother!" She defended him.  
  
"Honey, we all want to believe that." Phoebe said, "But after what I saw…"  
  
"Jack loves me too much to just… to just betray me like that!" Fi walked away from the small group. "And even if he did, he must have a very good reason for making a deal with Novania."  
  
"Like what, Fi?" Prue asked, wanting to believe the same thing. "Clu was given the same deal, but he turned it down." She made her way to Fiona, trying to comfort her. "Look, Fi, I want to give Jack the same benefit of the doubt too, but…"  
  
"But nothing, Prue!" Fi shrugged away from her. "Jack must have felt trapped! I mean," She looked at Clu, "You said that Novania offered you my safe life and Kiara's return in exchange for my powers, right?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Well, think of what Novania must have offered Jack! Think about it, what could she have given him in return for my powers?"  
  
"Well, first thing is your life, Fi." Jimmy chimed in, joining the group.  
  
"And Kiara's return." Declan added.  
  
Leo, who had remained quiet, was thinking that something else was also offered to Jack. It was then that it hit him.  
  
"Fiona, your father!"  
  
"What?" She stopped dead in her tracks, spun around to look at Leo. "What about my father?"  
  
"Think about it." He walked towards them. "Clu and Jack were offered the same things in exchange for your powers… with a few exceptions. Clu turned down his, but Jack didn't. Now why? Because the only thing that would make Jack really consider into working with Novania is if she offered your father's return."  
  
"Leo, Fi's dad died." Jimmy said, confused by Leo's logic. "Don't tell me that Novania offered to bring back the dead."  
  
"Not to bring back the dead, Jimmy." Declan spoke up, "More like turn back time and change it. Is that right, Leo?"  
  
"Exactly, Declan. If Novania teamed up with some very powerful forces, I bet that they told her that they will do anything in exchange for Fiona's powers. Give Jack what he wants in return for what they want."  
  
Fiona's blood stopped cold. If what Leo was saying is true… "Oh my God." She slumped down, feeling a definite chill down her spine.  
  
"Fi!" Clu raced to her side, holding her.  
  
"Oh my God… Jack…" She whispered, disbelieving everything.  
  
====================================================================  
  
His right palm was outstretched, aimed right at his goal. Deep from the shadows, he remained hidden. Waiting for the perfect time to strike.  
  
From the corner of his eye, he held his gaze on Novania. She was clutching on the door frame, also watching the Mistress do her magickal deed.  
  
"You okay, Nov?" He whispered to her.  
  
"Just do what you have to do, Phillips." She hissed back.  
  
=====================================================================  
  
The witching hour was near… and she was thrilled that the power was just within her reach.   
  
She murmured the final verse of her incantation as she reached over for the syringe. Looking up at her husband, grinning wickedly at him. "Just one drop of that witch's blood… and we can finally complete the last phrase, my dear husband."  
  
He nodded, returning the grin.   
  
Just as she was about to add the final ingredient into the boiling cauldron… a piercing ball of light slammed into the syringe, sending it out of her hand and shattering it into the wall. The Mistress cried in pain as she felt the heat of the ball. She also cried out as she watched Fiona's blood soak into the wood floor panels.  
  
"If you want my sister's powers, you're going to have to get to it through me. The hard way."   
  
Her eyes darted to the door, flaming up as she saw the Phillips's boy, Jack, standing there. His stance was defiant, like a hero waiting for battle. He stood still and proud, daring for the foes to make their first move.   
  
The Mistress stalked towards him, an ugly smirk on her face. "You wicked, wicked boy. How dare you use your powers on me. Do you have any idea on what that little stunt has cost you?"  
  
Jack just smirked back, not budging. "Probably my life… but as I said, you're going to have to get through me to get to my sister."  
  
Wispbane began to make his way towards Jack, but his wife held up her hand. "Don't." She hissed. "This boy is mine."  
  
=====================================================================  
  
"Jack…" Novania clutched his arm, fearing for this boy's life. She knew what the Mistress was capable of, and knowing that caused her concern towards Jack.  
  
He glanced back at Novania, a small reassuring smile on his face. "Don't worry, Nov." Jack whispered. "Just do what you have to do."  
  
She nodded, reaching inside her jacket to assure herself of the crystal's safety. Meeting eyes with Jack, she silently promised to deliver the sacred package…  
  
"STOP!"  
  
"Novania!" Jack cried, spinning around to catch her. The Mistress had caught the suspicious exchange between Jack and Novania. With no hesitation, she sent an fiery blast towards the traitor.  
  
Jack heard her cry in pain as she collapsed under the immense heat. She crumbled in agony. Though she wasn't engulfed in flames, she still felt the heat inside her.   
  
"Novania…" He whispered, holding Kiara's shaking body. He tried to figure out what was wrong, so that he could somehow heal her… but the body temperature was fine, and looked okay physically… so why was she still shaking?  
  
"Her spirit is dying. That's why she's having that seizure. I just made sure that the little fire ball I sent her engulfed her soul and not her physical body." The Mistress stood over, eyes gleaming evilly at them. "Soon, all that will be left is any empty shell."  
  
"You b*tch." Jack swore at her, feeling an immense amount of anger towards this villainous.   
  
"Oh, there's no use calling anyone names, now Jack." She snickered at the young lad.  
  
Holding Novania tight, whispering to her, "C'mon, Nov. Hold tight. Fight this."  
  
"You…" Novania coughed, knowing that she was dying. "You have to… have to save… save Kiara's soul…"  
  
"Don't talk, Nov." He urged her to stay still, alarmed by how pale her eyes were turning.  
  
"The treacherous little thing's right, Jack." The Mistress spoke, taunting him with the awful truth. "Once the body has no soul, no spirit to control it, it's just a body. An empty shell. No use to anyone."  
  
Jack stared daggers up at the Mistress. Feeling the anger boiling to its breaking point. Suddenly, an idea struck him. Leaning down, he whispered something to Novania. She looked back at him, confused. Jack just smiled reassuringly at her, wiping a stray hair from her face affectionately. Giving his hand a gentle squeeze, with every last amount of strength that she could sum up, Novania blinked herself out of Jack's arms, and out of the room.  
  
The Mistress could feel a scream threatening to escape her lips. She watched as a very triumphant Jack Phillips stood tall and proud. His eyes stared down at the Mistress.   
  
"You foolish boy."  
  
"No, you are the fool." He didn't dare flinch as his enemy threatened him with her powers.  
  
With one single movement, an athame simmered into her hand, causing her to swing at Jack with it. The athame sliced into his shirt, mere millimeters from his flesh. He jumped back as the woman lunged at him with infinite fury.   
  
"You will pay for turning Novania against me, Phillips!"   
  
Jack held up his hand, sending a flash of energy towards the Mistress. She stumbled back from the flash, but still fought her way to destroy him.  
  
With each of the Mistress's attempt to stab Jack, he came back at her with positive light energies. It was a battle to the death for the two forces of good and evil.  
  
The Mistress sent out a dark energy, causing Jack to become paralyze for a mere moment. Using it to her advantage, she attempted to fully pierce the blade into his heart. As the tip of the athame came into contact with his flesh, Jack cried out in pain. He managed to revive himself, but not before she drove the blade deeper into him. With every fiber in his body, he forced the athame from his flesh, causing the Mistress to stumble back.   
  
Frustrated, and completely exhausted, with everything he had, Jack sent out numerous amounts of energy towards her. Some of which didn't even strike her down.   
  
Suddenly, an ear piercing wail emerged from the corner of the room. Both the Mistress and Jack halted in their place, turning to the sound.  
  
"Angel?!" The Mistress turned to her daughter, as the child cried in pain.  
  
Jack stared at the little girl. His blood froze as realization set in. Without even knowing it, without any control of his own, he had accidentally sent a burst of energy towards the child.  
  
The Mistress held her daughter tight, whispering a healing incantation.  
  
"Oh my God…" Jack whispered, watching both parents go to their little girl. "What have I done?"  
  
A sob broke loose from the Mistress's throat as she cradled her weak daughter. Wispbane took in his child's frail form.  
  
"His powers were too much for Angel, wife. Let her go."  
  
"Shut-up, husband! Leave me be so that I can heal her!" She pushed Wispbane away, repeating the words over and over.  
  
Even Jack could tell by the child's pale face that, much to his silent horror, she was dead. He stood still, not daring to move. He couldn't leave. It was his chance to, but he just couldn't. He had killed a little girl. "I killed her." He whispered to himself.  
  
Once reality set in for the Mistress, she finally let go of her Angel. Grief was soon replace with anger as she set eyes on Jack.  
  
"Murderer!" She cried out.   
  
He opened his mouth, trying to think of the right words to say, but he couldn't think of it.   
  
"You will pay for killing my child!" She lunged at Jack with a force stronger than death, athame in hand.   
  
He stood there, frozen with fear and guilt. His hands went up as if to shield her strike. Jack would have been killed… if Leo hadn't orbed in, grabbed Jack, and orbed the both of them out of there.  
  
The Mistress stood in her place, stunned by Jack's disappearance. Wispbane came up behind her, placing comforting hands on her shoulders. Still boiling with fury, she turned around and killed off her husband with a fiery blast. She watched with silent satisfaction as Wispbane's frail form crumbled into ashes. When his death was over, with infinite rage, she bellowed, "Murderer! If it's the last thing I do, Jack Phillips, I will destroy you with every being of my existence! Destroy you and everyone that you hold dear!"  
  
=====================================================================  
"Is he going to be okay?" Fiona hovered over her brother's bedside, completely worried sick. She watched helplessly as Leo used his powers to heal Jack's wound from the Mistress's athame.   
  
Clu placed his hands lovingly on Fi's shoulders, trying to massage the tension out of her. "He's going to be fine, Fi."  
  
Prue had sat down on the bed, opposite of Leo. She too was worried about Jack.  
  
As soon as Novania had blinked herself into the Halliwell manor, she had to fight off all their questions and immediately tell them Jack's whereabouts. Leo quickly orbed himself to the location Novania had informed them, and just in time too. When Leo and Jack returned, Fi's brother collapsed to the ground from exhaustion, not to mention from his bleeding wound. Novania maintained her strength to stay awake until Jack's safe return. As soon as she saw that he was in good care, she too collapsed.  
  
Once Leo's healing was a success, Jack woke up and began gasping for air. He blinked his eyes, taking in his surroundings. Suddenly, the night's events came back to him. Putting his head in his hands, "Oh my God… it wasn't a dream!"  
  
"Jack?" Fi spoke up, slowly making her way towards her brother. She watched as he began to openly sob and break down right before her eyes. "Jack? What's wrong? What happened? Please tell me… please…" She enveloped him in a hug, holding him tight.  
  
Accepting her arms, Jack began to tell them, in between sobs, what had happened between him and the Mistress. When he was through, all he could do was be comforted by the warmth of his baby sister's presence.  
  
This was killing Fiona. She didn't know what to do, how to react. All she knew, all she could fathom in, is the fact that her brother was in trouble.  
  
"Jack, it was an accident. You were just trying to defend yourself." Prue also tried to reassure him, but felt just as helpless as Fi.  
  
"I killed a child, Prue." He looked up at her with the most saddest blue eyes Prue has ever seen. It completely broke her heart. "And the fact that it was an accident makes it just as wrong."  
  
"The child was a casualty… a victim of the war between good and evil… but she was also a child destined to fulfill evil's prophecies…"   
  
Everyone in the room turned towards the weak voice who had spoken the sad truth. Jack immediately stood up, and made his way towards the sound of that voice.  
  
"Novania…" He looked over the weary form, "Hey…" He spoke, gently taking her hand.  
  
Novania laid on the bed next to Jack's. She was physically exhausted and spiritually drained. She knew that her life was almost up, thanks to the Mistress's spell.  
  
"Jack…" She began to speak, but was followed by a series of coughs. She tried to gain control, but she was hurting too much inside. Using every ounce of strength, she reached into her jacket and revealing the crystal object to everyone in the room.   
  
She laid the shimmering ball in Jack's free hand, a satisfied smile on her fatigued face. "This body's too… *cough*… too beautiful to have it… *cough*… buried six feet… *cough, cough*… under…"  
  
"Novania… please, don't talk." Beaming kindly at her, "Save your strength. I'm sure that the Charmed Ones have a spell that can heal you." He looked up at Prue, eyes pleading, "Don't you?"  
  
Prue didn't know how to respond. Sure she was grateful for Novania for saving Jack's life… but Novania was evil… wasn't she?   
  
"Jack… *cough*… don't make Prue lie…" Novania spoke up.   
  
"Novania…" He sighed, "You can't give up."  
  
"I must, Jack." Novania shook her head, fighting to stay awake a while longer before finally giving in. "You must let me die… to save Kiara."  
  
Jack didn't reply. He just sat there, looking at the spirit who he had once hated but now couldn't bear to see leave. He looked away, his hand slipping from her grasp. To Leo, he handed him the crystal orb that held Kiara's soul.   
  
"Jack…" Fiona spoke up, wanting to reach out to her brother, only to have him shrug her off as he walked out of the room.  
  
"That brother of yours is surely something, Fiona Phillips…" Novania said, her spirit slowly slipping out of the body.  
  
"Don't I know it, Nov." She smiled, despite herself.   
  
"Novania," Leo approached her, Prue and Piper behind him. Phoebe, with Declan and Jimmy, entered the room, joining her sisters. "You ready?"  
  
Sighing, then smiling, "As I heard a bright human say… *cough*… 'in the darkness is the light'… right, Fiona?"  
  
The Charmed Ones formed a circle around the body, joining hands as Leo and Fi waited for their instructions from Novania. Using up her strength, she informed the three sisters of the proper incantation to help restore Kiara's soul.   
  
As the sisters began to chant, Leo and Fiona were told to help hold the crystal ball right in the middle of the sisters' circle, right over Kiara's body. As the orb began to glow, and Novania began to slip steadily into spiritual damnation, Fi whispered kindly to Novania, "Thank you."  
  
=====================================================================  
  
Jack sat on the Halliwell porch stoop. He looked up at the sky, noticing the early twilight of the new day. The sun would be up within a few hours… and the day would begin again. The young man was tired, feeling as if years were taken from him. He placed his head in his hands, refusing to see anything except the darkness.  
  
"It's going to be a beautiful day, Jack."  
  
The young man shot up, startled by the new voice. He turned around and, despite himself, beamed brightly at the figure before him. He looked her over and found himself seeing her with sad eyes, even though he was honestly thrilled to see her.  
  
"Y'know, Phillips, everyone else has given me a hug on my return." Extending her own arms, "Don't I get one from you too?" Her eyes were twinkling with life. Only the real Kiara Lance could allow the silver in her eyes to glimmer like that.   
  
"Kiara…" He grinned, before enveloping her in one huge genuine hug.   
  
She returned the embrace, feeling every ounce of emotion within him. When they separated, she gave him a gentle kiss on the forehead. "You okay, Phillips?"  
  
"Honestly?"  
  
With a quiet smile, "Honestly."  
  
"I feel like the world just exploded right under me… like total crap."  
  
Kiara nodded, a bit understanding. "Jack, I can't truly say that what just happened to you will eventually heal… because it won't. It's going to stay with you until the day you die. Having the blood of someone else's won't wipe clean. Believe me, I know." She said sadly.  
  
"Two people died tonight, Kiara. And in one way or another, I had a hand in them."  
  
"But it was by accident, Jack. And that is the difference between the Mistress and you. She used those innocents as pawns in her game, and disposed of them once she was through using them. You are a loving soul, Phillips. She has a soul… but it's as dark as her heart."  
  
Jack considered Kiara's words. He tried to smile, but could only muster up a sigh. Kiara's heart went out to him, watching as he sat back down on the stoop.   
  
She opened her mouth, about to say something, when Jack warned, "Don't tell me that I'm going to get over it, Kiara. You and I both know that that's a total lie."  
  
"I wasn't going to say that, Jack. In fact," She sat next to him, "I want you to *never* forget Angel's and Novania's deaths."  
  
Meeting eyes with her, "And why not?"  
  
"Because," She took his hand, looking at him with sincere, soulful eyes, "It is through their deaths that you will gain your strength. What happened to them, and what has and will happen to you will only make you wiser and stronger. Mentally, emotionally, physically… and magickally." Kiara chuckled silently, grinning at him, "It sounds redundant yet simple…" Sighing, she looked up at the sky. She then gave him a gentle hug, and then a kiss on the cheek.   
  
Kiara got up, beaming at him, and said before she left him with his thoughts, "But frankly, it's just the truth."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
